A Life Unexpected
by JibbsGal1
Summary: This is the third story in the "Life" universe, which began with "A New Life" and was followed up with "A Life Reclaimed" – both of which should be read before this one. If you're caught up, let the next ride begin.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is the third story in the "Life" universe, so if you haven't read "A New Life" or "A Life Reclaimed" – stop reading. This won't make any sense. For everyone else, here we go again! Thanks for coming along for the next installment and for all the great reviews at the end of the last one. Loved how shocked so many of you were. Congrats to TheBreakfastGenie, AliyahNCIS and teardrops of ink who, granted after the fact, got the big giant clue I gave - Sam's mom was named Vivienne because that's the name of the actress who played Gibbs' mysterious redhead the first three seasons (and is the real life wife of Donald Bellisario).

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs looked at Sam in shock. "She's your _mother_?" The boy nodded. "Who's your father?"

Jenny's heart was racing at the realization. She shifted Julia in her arms and turned to her husband. "You are, Jethro."

The others gathered around them exchanged shocked looks, unsure what to think.

Gibbs stiffened, shifting his eyes from Sam to his wife. "What?" He turned his attention to Tony, trying to keep his temper in check. "Is she right?"

Tony swallowed hard. He saw all eyes were on him – none more so than Sam. "Hey, buddy, why don't you go upstairs and visit Cynthia, okay?"

The young boy's eyes were wide, his lower lip quivering. "Tony, what's happening?"

The look on his face made the special agent's heart hurt. "Don't be scared, Sam. It's going to be all right. I promise. But I need you to go upstairs, okay?"

Sam nodded sadly. "Okay, Tony."

As he got down off the table, Jenny's eyes widened. She and Jethro shared a look, both incredulous over their exchange.

The boy looked up at Gibbs before he left and kicked him in the shin. "You're mean! You better be nice to Tony."

"Sam!" Tony was appalled.

"Hey," yelled Jenny at the same time, shocked by his behavior. "We don't kick people." When she saw her husband's stunned expression, she added, "Especially ones who weren't able to walk a few weeks ago."

Sam frowned and muttered under his breath, "You're mean, too."

No one else spoke – instead all eyes followed Sam as he stomped off towards Cynthia's office. Once he was safely behind the door, Gibbs was in Tony's face. "I want answers."

Tony nodded. "She's right." He ignored the gasps he heard around him – instead reaching inside his desk for a card. "This is their family lawyer. You should contact him."

Ziva walked over to them. "How could you not tell us?"

Tony tried to keep his anger in check. "Because there was no way I was having Gibbs be the last to know. You don't like it? Too bad. It was my call to make."

McGee and Abby shared a look. Ducky and Holly both leaned against Gibbs' desk, hardly believing what they were hearing.

Jenny could see her husband was bubbling with rage. Mildred walked by and she quickly handed her Julia, saying she would be up soon. She kissed her daughter on the cheek and watched as Gibbs was too preoccupied to notice. "FYI, she's teething and can sit on her own," she whispered before motioning for the nanny to go. "Tony, start at the beginning. What happened?"

He looked at Jenny and then at his boss. "His parents were walking to their car early in the morning when it blew up. Both are really bad off but alive. Long story short, he didn't have any other family here, and there was no way I was letting your son end up in the hands of Social Services. So I've been taking care of him."

Head swirling, Gibbs could barely wrap his head around what Tony was telling him. Jenny was overwhelmed too, but she managed to ask an important question. "When did this happen?"

"Two weeks ago when –"

Gibbs became unhinged. "_Two weeks_? You've known he was my son for two weeks? Why the _hell_ didn't you call me?"

"You were on your honeymoon. Your life was about to change forever. I thought the least I could do was give you both these last two weeks to –"

"You _thought_? If you did, you'd realize that wasn't your call to make, DiNozzo!" screamed Gibbs.

Jenny looked around and saw the entire room was glued to their drama. "Jethro, calm down."

He turned his icy glare on her, instantly shutting her up, before he turned back to Tony – his voice eerily calm. "_I'm_ the one who should've been taking care of him, especially after something like that! How dare you…" He stopped himself, realizing he was quickly losing control.

Jenny took a deep breath. "You said he was a witness. Has the case been solved? Is he still in danger?"

Gibbs perked up, wanting to hear the answer himself.

Tony was too shaken up by Gibbs' anger to answer, so Ziva stepped forward. "The case is still open, so yes, Sam is still in danger – and so are his parents." She saw the look on Gibbs' face and backtracked. "I mean his mother and stepfather."

Gibbs walked over to his desk, reached in and grabbed his badge and sidearm. He ignored his wife's surprised look but gave her a stern warning. "Don't you dare apologize for me," he said before heading up the stairs to find Sam.

Once he was out of sight, she leaned over to Tony. "I'm sorry. He's in shock. I guess we all are."

"I really blew it, didn't I? I thought I was doing what he would have wanted. I stepped up; I handled things. I…" he stopped, shaking his head. "How could I have been so wrong?"

Abby stepped forward. "Tony, you were amazing. Director, you have no idea all that Tony did."

"Abby is correct," added Ziva. "Gibbs should not have come down like that on him. He has no idea what these last two weeks have been like for either of them."

Jenny answered tightly. "I wouldn't suggest using that reasoning on him if I were you, Ziva. I feel horrible about the way he treated Tony, but he has every right to be upset." She leaned her head back and then side-to-side, obviously feeling the tension, before she took a deep breath and sighed. "We all do," she added quietly. She took one last look at Vivienne.

Tony noticed her staring. "How'd you know?"

Jenny bit her lower lip before answering. "I connected the dots. You were so insistent to speak with us privately. I recognized her from one of my first weeks as director, when they looked intimate walking to the elevator."

Ziva's eyes lit up with recognition. "_That_ is where she is from. I remember that. Tony, I asked you then who the woman was." He glared, letting her know now wasn't the time.

"The look on your face, Tony… and then when I looked at the boy himself – and saw my husband's eyes staring back at me," continued Jenny, almost to herself. She motioned around her eyes. "This area… he looked just like Jethro did at that age. I saw pictures Jack had up at his house… it was uncanny. I just knew." She looked up towards her office, wondering what was happening but knowing better than to interrupt.

Gibbs stood in the doorway for a few moments, watching Cynthia interact with Sam. The boy was sitting on her desk with his back to him, showing off his sneakers. It hurt Gibbs to realize that everyone at NCIS seemed to know his son better than he did. When Cynthia noticed him, he motioned for her to go. She looked around, uncomfortable - unsure if she should. When she looked at him again, she saw the pleading in his eyes.

"Sam, I'll be back," she said. She slipped past Gibbs and out the door.

He shut the door and locked it, not wanting to be disturbed. He then walked over to Sam and sat down in Cynthia's chair. "Hi there."

Sam remained silent, keeping his eyes on his hands in front of him. The older man scared him, and he didn't know what to do.

Gibbs always thought he was good with kids, but he was suddenly at a loss with how to reach Sam. "Do you know who I am?" He was taken aback when the boy glared at him.

"Yeah."

He smiled, relieved. He wasn't sure if the boy had understood what they were discussing earlier.

"You're Gibbs. Is Tony okay?"

Gibbs sighed, disappointed. He narrowed his eyes at him. "Yeah. Why wouldn't he be?"

"You were being mean."

Gibbs scoffed. "No, I wasn't."

"Were too."

The older man scrubbed his hand down his face. "So can you tell me a little bit about yourself?"

He stuck out his lower lip and remained silent.

Gibbs cocked his head to the side. "Please?"

"I'm Sam."

Gibbs couldn't help but smile. "Hi Sam. How old are you?"

"I'm four," he said, holding up four fingers to make his point. "I'm suppose to be in school but haven't gone since…" His lower lip began to quiver.

"That's okay. I understand. You'll go back, but first –" A knock at the door interrupted his train of thought. "Uh oh. I should probably get that. This isn't my office, and I locked the door."

Sam snorted, amused.

Gibbs stood up and opened the door to his wife. "Oops."

"It's okay," she said softly. "You two all right in here?"

Gibbs reached for her hand, threading their fingers together as he guided her to Cynthia's desk. "Sam, I want you to meet my wife, Jenny. She's the big boss around here. It's actually her office in there," he said, pointing into the other room.

Sam was confused. "I thought that was Holly's office."

Jenny smirked. "You're on a first name basis with the Assistant Director? You must be pretty special."

The boy wasn't impressed. He still remembered that she yelled at him, and he was wary of her. So he glared at her.

Jenny looked at her husband. "I see certain things are genetic."

His lips curled up in acknowledgement.

"I did have a purpose in coming up here," she continued. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Julia crying. She quickly went to the doorway. "I'll be right there, Mildred." She walked back over to Gibbs and whispered in his ear, "The doctor called. You can go talk with Vivienne now. But she's badly burned. Seeing her may traumatize Sam, so not sure if you want to bring him."

Gibbs glanced over at the boy. "He can wear a blindfold, but he needs to see her."

Sam's eyes widened. "Are you talking about my mommy? Can I see her?"

The desperation in his eyes touched both of the adults who were with him. Jenny nodded, understanding. "Take him. I hope you get the answers you seek. But she's been through a lot. Be gentle." She squeezed his hand and kissed him on the cheek. "Can you send Holly up if you see her?"

He nodded and kissed her on the forehead. "I love you."

"Love you too," she said as she headed for her office. Jenny turned back one last time. "See you later, Sam." He remained guarded with her. She sighed before heading inside.

"Come on," Gibbs said, motioning for Sam to follow him. The two walked down the stairs. He was relieved to see Tony wasn't in the bullpen. He didn't see Holly, but he did see Cynthia speaking with Ziva. "She's back in her office and wants Assistant Director Mann up there. Can you find her?" Cynthia nodded. Gibbs walked over to McGee, who annoyed him the least earlier. "We're going to see Vivienne, but I need to be read in. Can you come?"

"Sure, Boss."

Gibbs looked at Sam. "You got a car seat or booster seat for driving in the car?" The boy nodded. "Where's DiNozzo?"

Ziva perked up. "I'll find him and let him know to meet you in the garage with it."

Gibbs nodded. He looked down at his son. "Time to get some answers." He then narrowed his eyes at the picture of Vivienne on the plasma screen. "_Way_ past time."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: It's been great hearing from some old-timers again! Thanks for checking in. Love hearing what everyone's thinking.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny, carrying some files and a clipboard, had Holly follow her into MTAC so they could talk privately. "Can I have the room please?" They waited for the techs to leave and then sat together in the front row.

Holly eyed the other woman carefully. "You got quite a shock earlier."

Jenny narrowed her eyes. "I can't think about that right now," she said, looking at the clock on the wall. "I know you have a plane to catch, so I need you to get me up to speed on upcoming missions quickly."

Holly shook her head. "Director, I left detailed instructions, in order of importance, with Cynthia. I made sure there were no operations being conducted today or tomorrow to give you a chance to catch up."

Jenny relaxed a little and nodded. "Thank you." She took a deep breath. "Then I would like to hear the details about the Summers case. What can you tell me?"

"He's a really good boy, Jenny."

The director was taken aback by Holly's use of her first name. That is, until she realized she was addressing Jenny Gibbs and not Director Shepard. She did her best to hold onto her professional demeanor. "The case, please."

Holly locked eyes with Jenny. "Read about the case later. Right now, talk to me. You must have so many emotions, questions…"

She wanted to hold it together, and Holly wasn't making it easy. Jenny put down her files and clipboard and then walked towards the console. "I don't have time to indulge in things like that. If you want to help me, then please tell me what we're dealing with."

Holly stood up too. "I _do_ want to help you, but I'd understand if you're not comfortable talking with me. But is there someone else who you can talk with about this? Because you need to get these feelings out before you deal with Gibbs – and before they eat you alive. Otherwise, you won't be any good to him. And he's going to need you."

Jenny leaned against the console and hung her head. "I don't know what to do, Holly. This came out of nowhere. I was having a hard enough time adjusting to being a mom to a 4-month-old – never mind a 4-_year_-old! What if he hates us? What if he hates me?"

Holly sighed, relieved that Jenny was opening up. "He won't hate you. It may take a while for him to adjust but any child would."

Jenny raised an eyebrow. "How did you get so knowledgeable about kids?"

Holly smirked. "I spent a lot of time with Ryan while he was here. He talked about Missy and how she handled the various things she had thrown at her. You know, Ryan thought Sam was a pretty strong kid considering all he was dealing with."

Jenny perked up, incredulous. "_Ryan's_ met him?"

"Yeah," admitted Holly. "And I had Missy watch him while Ryan gave Tony some parental advice."

Jenny shook her head. "It just gets better and better," she sighed. "I don't know how he's going to handle this."

"What do you mean?"

"Jethro's missed four years of his son's life. I know my husband. That fact is going to flatten him like little else in this world can. And to think, if that horrible bombing hadn't happened, he still wouldn't know. How could she do that to him?"

Holly studied Jenny carefully before she spoke. "We can guess all day long how this will affect Gibbs. I want to know how _you_ are handling it."

"I have to concentrate on him, Holly. If I don't, horribly selfish things could come popping out of my mouth."

"I won't say a word."

Jenny felt her chest tighten as her emotions made their way to the surface, causing tears to begin to form. "All I can think about is how this is going to change everything. I loved our life together. We were _finally_ in a place of normalcy. And now it's all shot to hell."

Holly felt for her boss… her friend. "You'll get there again. But you're going to need a lot of patience."

Jenny's temper flared. "Again? I just had to have tons of patience when he got shot and needed to learn to walk again! Why does it feel like I'm always the one who has to be patient? I have to be the rock, I have to take care of everything and everyone else!" She saw Holly's worried look. "God, I sound horrible, don't I? But these last two weeks, he took care of _me_. I knew I had to come back here and take care of this entire agency, but it was easier knowing he would be there for me. It's going to be a long time before he's able because now he's going to have to be there for Sam. Julia and I will be…" she broke off, trying to stem the tears from falling.

Holly sighed. "Jenny, he's not going to cast you both aside. I don't think it will be as bad as you think."

Jenny shook her head, upset with herself for voicing her fears. "You're right. It'll be fine. I just… I had a moment of weakness."

Holly allowed Jenny to say that, but she had a feeling her fears were all too real to her. For their entire family's sake, she hoped Jenny was wrong.

Down in the lab, Ziva and Abby were discussing what transpired earlier.

"He will not talk with me about it, Abby. I am worried."

"I'm not surprised. I wasn't even the one Gibbs was yelling at, and it freaked me out," she said, giving Bert a squeeze for comfort.

"I still cannot believe Sam is Gibbs' son or that Tony knew and said nothing."

Abby sighed. "No, I can understand – Tony was right. It would have been so much worse for Gibbs if we all knew and he was the last to find out. But I wonder how the director is handling this."

"Did you see her face? She tried to cover but she was definitely in shock."

Abby nodded. "How could she not be? I'm in shock. And my poor Gibbs. The look on his face was heartbreaking. But Jenny will take care of him. It's Tony I'm worried about. Where is he now?"

"Avoiding everyone. I think he is off sucking his wounds."

Abby's eyebrows rose. "I think… I hope you mean licking."

Ducky walked past the conference room and saw Tony surrounded by files. He sat down next to him. "How are you holding up, my boy?"

"Just trying to solve our case," he sighed.

"Don't take what Gibbs said too much to heart. It was a lot for him to hear and deal with at once."

"I don't mean to be rude, Ducky, but I don't want to discuss it. I want to solve this case."

"Ah. You're looking for redemption through that?"

Tony looked up from the file. "Can you blame me?"

"No," answered Ducky, "but I'm not sure it will be that simple."

Tony tossed his pen down and leaned back in the chair. "I know that. But it would be a start."

"Why didn't you call him?"

Tony tried to keep his anger in check. "I did what I thought was best. Hindsight, yeah… I screwed up like everyone always expects me to." He stood up quickly, sending his chair flying. He gathered his files and walked out.

Ducky sighed. "Oh my."

McGee finished reading his boss in on the case while they were driving and the remainder of the trip was spent in silence. At the hospital, the threesome was searching for Vivienne's room and her doctor.

"Boss," began McGee, "I know you're really angry at Tony but he thought he was helping."

Sam perked up upon hearing his friend's name. "Tony is the best! He took goog care of me."

Gibbs couldn't help feeling a twinge of pain at Sam's words. He ignored them both, pressing on with his quest to find her doctor. The sooner he did that, the sooner he'd get some answers. And he wanted answers. He needed them. He stopped at the nurses' station. "I'm looking for Dr. Rollins. Where can I find him?"

The main nurse looked at Gibbs. "And you are?"

"Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS. We're here about Vivienne Summers."

She nodded. "Dr. Rollins is in with a patient but as soon as he's out, I will tell him to see you. You can have a seat over there," she said, pointing to a row of chairs against the wall. Gibbs nodded curtly but he was angry. He had zero patience at the moment and was not happy he was being forced to wait.

Jenny was back in her office, reading over the files left for her by Assistant Director Mann, when her intercom went off.

"Yes, Cynthia."

"Dr. Mallard is here to see you, ma'am."

Jenny sighed, unsure if she was up for what she assumed he wanted to discuss. "Send him in." She watched as Ducky entered and closed the door behind him. She motioned for him to take a seat across from her. "What can I do for you, Dr. Mallard?"

"Dr. Mallard? I see you have your defenses up, Jennifer."

The edges of Jenny's lips curled upward as she leaned back in her chair. "It's been a day already, Ducky. Not in the greatest mood at the moment."

"I can only imagine. And while yes, I would like to discuss _that_ with you if you are up for it, I'm here on a more pertinent matter first."

"And what would that be?"

"I'm afraid we could be in danger of losing Agent DiNozzo."

Now he had her full attention. "Lose? In what respect? You think he'd quit over this?"

"I'm worried. He's taking Jethro's rejection of him very hard. I'm afraid he could spiral downward to a place that could be hard for him to make his way out of."

"So you've talked to him since this morning's fiasco?"

"I just left him or rather he stormed out on me in the conference room. He's on the edge. Anthony thought he was doing a great thing, giving you and Jethro your honeymoon while he truly rose to the occasion, taking care of and protecting young Samuel. And what happens? The man he was trying to impress not only didn't appreciate it but berated him for it."

Jenny sighed as she stood up and paced around the room. "I know. I realize Tony's heart was in the right place, but Jethro was right – he should have called. Now Tony has completely bonded with Sam, and Jethro's seen as the enemy. It's made things so much harder."

At the hospital, Dr. Rollins approached the people waiting. "Agent Gibbs?" He saw the older man nod. He looked over at the other two people with the agent. "Is that their son?" he asked, motioning to Sam. Gibbs nodded. "While I'm sure she'd love to see him, you better prep the boy. She's practically unrecognizable," he whispered. "It could be traumatic."

"I plan to cover his eyes. But I would like to speak with her alone first."

"Of course. Keep in mind, she's very weak. She drifts in and out of sleep so I'm not sure how long she'll be able to handle questioning. Her answers will more than likely be short. We're trying to keep her pain to a minimum, but due to her injuries, there's just so much we can do."

Gibbs sighed as he scrubbed his hand down his face in frustration. "What are her chances?"

"I'm afraid not good. But I bet seeing her son will help a lot."

"Can I see her?" The doctor nodded. Gibbs turned to the other two. "McGee, keep an eye on him. I'll be back."

Sam ran over to Gibbs. "Wait, I want to go too!"

Gibbs bent down and put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "You will. But I need to talk with her first. Stay with Tim, okay?"

Sam narrowed his eyes at the man in front of him. "Why you go first? She's _my_ mommy."

"I know. But the sooner you let me talk with her, the sooner you'll be able to visit too."

Sam sighed dramatically. "Fine."

Gibbs watched him rejoin McGee. He then turned to follow the doctor to Vivienne's room. When they got there, Gibbs' breath caught in his throat. All the tubes and machines she was hooked up to, along with the fact she was almost unrecognizable due to the wounds, made his attitude towards her soften – but only a tiny bit. He carefully approached and sat down in the chair next to her.

Vivienne saw him as he entered and sighed. "Shit."

He shook his head at her. "You got that right."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I really have to thank Prettycrazy who has been AMAZING, generously giving me ideas and helping me immensely with this story. Thank you! And thanks to everyone leaving reviews – you all help more than you know.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"Agent DiNozzo to see you, ma'am."

"Send him in, Cynthia." Director Shepard laid down the file she was reading, removed her glasses and watched as he entered the room and closed the door behind him.

He stood in front of her desk, looking very serious. "Do you want me to turn in my resignation?"

Jenny sighed.

At the hospital, Gibbs sat forward on the chair and leaned his elbows on his knees. "First things first - any idea why someone wanted to kill you or your husband?"

"No," she said, barely above a whisper.

"See anything out of the ordinary?" he added.

"No," she repeated.

He could tell she was having trouble speaking. Watching her struggle was disturbing and upsetting. When he knew her, Vivienne had been a strong, fun loving woman. The person in front of him now was broken and frail. He didn't want to push her about the bombing, so he let those questions go… for now. Besides, he was more interested in getting answers to his personal questions.

At NCIS, Jenny looked at the Very Special Agent in front of her.

"Why would I want you to resign, Agent DiNozzo?"

"I've never seen Gibbs that angry. I don't know that he'll want to work with me anymore."

Jenny's face softened. She stood up, walked around her desk and sat next to Tony. She waited for him to look at her before she spoke. "You weren't trying to hurt him. Gibbs will realize that. Eventually."

"You aren't angry at me too?"

"Angry? No. I know you meant well. Do I think it was the best choice you could make?" she sighed. "Probably not, but I do understand it. And if I'm honest with myself and with you, I appreciate the choice you made." She saw the surprise on his face. "Those two weeks away together were such a gift. But for obvious reasons, I'm not ready to say _that_ to my husband."

Tony managed a small smile, appreciating her candor.

Jenny touched his shoulder sympathetically. "I'm going to repeat to you what was said to me earlier. Be patient."

He looked at her, concerned. "You needed that said? Are you okay?"

Jenny scoffed. "I'm all right." She stood and walked behind her desk.

Tony got up and put his hands on the back of the chair. "He's an incredible kid - usually well mannered. Shocked the hell out of me when he kicked Gibbs. That wasn't the same Sam I spent the last two weeks with."

Jenny shook her head, almost amused. "What can I say? My husband sure knows how to bring out the best in people."

At the hospital, Vivienne was feeling a little bit stronger. "Sam?"

"He's fine. He's waiting to see you." Gibbs hesitated for a second before he continued. "I know he's my son."

She could hear the pain in his voice. "Helluva way to find out. Sorry," she managed. It didn't take long for Vivienne to realize that if he knew, then her lawyer must have said something and therefore Sam must be staying with him. "Do you mind taking care of him?"

"Mind?" he was incredulous. "What I mind is not having found out until now. Why Viv? Did I piss you off that much?"

"No," she said, sincerely. Talking was getting a little bit easier for her, so she continued. "You would have wanted to know?" She was truly surprised.

"Yes!" he insisted. "Damn it, I had a right to know!" He heard Jenny's voice in the back of his head telling him to be gentle, but he was too hurt.

"Thought I was doing you a favor."

"By cutting me out of my son's life? How's that a favor?"

Vivienne was a bit taken aback by the pain in his voice. She had no idea he would take it this way. "Gibbs, we were fun and casual. I heard from you what… twice a month, if that? You didn't strike me as the commitment type, and there's no greater commitment than having a child."

"That doesn't mean I wouldn't have been there for you and the baby given the chance!"

"I thought _maybe_ if I heard from you again, I'd tell you. But I didn't. Besides, I was seeing Steve by that point. He was serious about me from the get-go. He wanted to be a father. It just seemed easier to let him."

"Easier for you, maybe." Her answers were making him even more angry. "You sure did assume a lot!" Gibbs could tell he was tiring her out, but he wasn't about to end their conversation. "How could you not at least tell me?"

She took a deep breath, still struggling with speaking but she realized this conversation had to happen while she was able. "You really would have wanted the baby? You were married to your job. Pardon me if I couldn't picture you with a child."

Gibbs realized there was something he needed to tell her. He scrubbed his hand down his face. "Long before I met you, before my ex-wives, I was married to an amazing woman. We had a daughter." His voice was thick with emotion. "When Kelly was 8, they were both murdered." He could tell she was shocked. He took a deep breath and looked her in the eye. "I would have wanted to know about Sam."

"I… I had no idea. Oh my God."

Gibbs saw tears beginning to fall from her eyes, and he felt badly about it. "I didn't mean to upset you."

She sighed. "If I had known _that_… It was never about me trying to cut you out – I honestly thought I was sparing you something you wouldn't want to deal with anyway. I'm so sorry, Gibbs."

His head was swirling again, but he knew she was fading and their son had to have some time with her. "Sam wants to see you. I haven't told him yet that I'm his father. I thought you'd want to be the one to tell him."

"Has it been rough with just the two of you?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Actually, it's a long story but tonight will be our first night together. And I probably need your help telling him he needs to stay with me."

"I can do that. Are you up to having him? He won't trip over bourbon bottles?"

Gibbs smiled. "A lot's changed, Viv. It won't be just the two of us. I'm married now, and we have a 4-month-old daughter."

"Wow. Sam has a sister," she marveled. "I'm really happy for you, Gibbs."

The emotion was evident in her voice. He could tell this was very hard for her, and he could see the fear in her eyes. It softened his anger. "Thanks. You want me to get him?"

"I'm scared for him to see me like this," she admitted, her voice trembling.

"Don't worry, Viv. I'm going to put a blindfold on him. I've told him why." He saw tears were falling from her eyes again. "It'll be okay."

"Yeah, sure," she said, unconvincingly. "Gibbs, take good care of him. He's everything to me."

He stiffened hearing her words – words that he completely understood and felt deeply. "I promise you, we'll take good care of him."

"Thank you," she said, obviously very emotional.

"I'll be right back," he said, as he headed out the door. Gibbs crooked his finger at Sam, who came running down the hall. "Where's the blindfold?" The boy handed it over and then turned around so Gibbs could put it on him.

"Hurry, I want to see Mommy."

"Hold on there, we're almost set. All right, let me guide you in. I'm going to pick you up and put you on my knee so your mom can see you."

Vivienne tried not to cry as she gazed at her son. "I love you, Sammy."

"Mommy," he cried. "I miss you. I try to be big boy brave but it's harg," he said, tears streaming down his face.

"I know, baby. I need you to listen to me, okay?"

He nodded, his lower lip quivering. "Okay."

"You've met my friend, Gibbs. There's something I need to tell you about him." She took a deep breath, a bit nervous. "You know Daddy loves you, right?"

"I love Gaddy too."

"I know you do. And he loves you so much. But honey, he didn't help me _make_ you. Gibbs did that. He's what we call your biological daddy. Steve helped me raise you, but Gibbs is your dad."

Sam was very confused. "I have two gaddys?"

"You're a very lucky boy. Not everyone has two dads who love them as much as yours do. I'm going to need you to continue being a brave boy. I want you to live with Gibbs until I'm able to take care of you again, okay?"

Sam shook his head. "That's okay. I'm living with Tony. He's taking care of me."

Gibbs sighed. "Sam, I'm glad you had Tony while Jenny and I were away but we're back now, so you're going to come stay with us."

"But I gon't want to. Not unless Tony stays with us too."

Vivienne sighed. "I take it Tony was that complication you mentioned earlier?"

"Yeah," admitted Gibbs. "Sam, Tony has his apartment and we have our house."

"But he's all alone at his papartment. I take care of him, and he takes care of me," he cried.

Gibbs was frustrated and inwardly cursing his senior field agent. "You'll see him at work. I… I promise." He looked over at Vivienne and could tell she was barely able to keep her eyes open. "We should probably get going, Sam. I think your mom is really tired."

"I don't want to go! It's not fair. Mommy," he said, ripping off his blindfold.

Gibbs saw it happening and quickly reached his hand around to cover Sam's eyes.

"Let go of me," yelled Sam as he struggled to get free. "I want to see my mommy now!" he cried.

Gibbs held him tightly against him. "If I do, I need you to understand that your mommy won't look like she used to look. Can you handle that?"

"No, don't let him, Gibbs," Vivienne pleaded.

"Is Mommy still beautiful?" he asked, whimpering.

Gibbs and Vivienne locked eyes. "Yeah."

Sam pushed Gibbs' hand away from his eyes. He sucked in his breath as a few tears fell. "Mommy _is _still beautiful," he whispered.

It was a quiet ride back to NCIS. An emotional Sam fell asleep while McGee realized he was better off leaving his boss alone with his thoughts.

Once back, Gibbs lifted a sleeping Sam out of the car and carried him all the way up to Jenny's office. He laid him down on the couch and tucked him in. "If you could keep an eye on Sam, Mildred, I'd really appreciate it. When he wakes up, let Cynthia know and she'll find me." The older woman nodded. He gave Julia a quick kiss and headed into the outer office. "Where is she?"

"MTAC, but I think she wanted some time alone. There isn't an op scheduled."

He nodded. "Thanks. Call me on my cell when Sam wakes up." He headed off to MTAC. As soon as Jenny saw him, she stood up and asked the techs to clear the room for the second time that day. The two locked eyes as they waited to be alone. He was still on the ramp, leaning back against the wall – emotionally exhausted.

Jenny slowly approached him. She looked deeply into his eyes, and the pain she saw there made her heart hurt. She watched as he sank to the floor, looking defeated. She carefully straddled him, her knees on either side of him.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, hanging his head low. "It happened again," he whispered, sounding emotional.

She cocked her head to the side, threading her fingers through the hair near his temple. "What?"

He looked up at her, his chest feeling heavy as his emotions began to bubble to the surface. "She said if she had known about Shannon and Kelly, she would have told me about Sam. God, Jenny, how many more times am I going to be made to pay because I couldn't deal with their deaths?"

The overwhelming sadness in his eyes made it hard for her to breathe. She saw tears falling down his face so she immediately took him in her arms and held him against her chest. "I wish I knew. I'm so sorry, Jethro." She kissed the top of his head as he sobbed against her. "I love you. I love you so much," she repeated over and over again, wanting to ease his pain.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you to all who are still reading this story. It means a lot.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny was sitting up on her knees, still cradling a now calm Gibbs in her arms when his cell phone's ring interrupted the silence. She sat back down on his legs as he reached into his pocket for the offending contraption. "Yeah, Gibbs."

Cynthia smiled. "Our young guest is waking up."

"Be right there," he said, closing his phone. "Sam is up from his nap. Will you come with me? He's in your office."

Jenny nodded, relieved that he wanted to include her. She stood up and reached her hand out to help him.

They continued to hold hands and looked at each other briefly before he took her in his arms. "I need you so much." Gibbs hugged her tightly to him before he pulled away enough so he could kiss her deeply. He reached into her hair with one hand as the other traveled downwards to her ass, pulling her closer to him. They indulged in their passion for only a few seconds, but it was a connection they both needed to make. He leaned his forehead against hers, panting heavily. "Ready?"

"No," she managed to say as she smiled, out of breath. "But let's go."

He put an arm around Jenny's waist as the two walked to her office. Inside, they spied Sam as he rubbed his eyes, trying to get his bearings. He looked around. "Am I in Holly's office?"

Jenny smiled as they walked over – Gibbs sat next to him on the couch while she sat across from them on the coffee table. "Kind of, but it's actually _my_ office. Holly was taking care of it when we were away."

"Do you remember my wife, Jenny, Sam? I introduced the two of you earlier."

The boy looked up at the woman sitting across from him and nodded. "You yelled at me."

Jenny sighed. "I'm sorry about that, but you kicked him," she said, pointing at Gibbs. "You don't really think it's okay to kick someone, do you?"

He scowled. "I guess not." He turned to face Gibbs. "But you were mean."

Mildred, who was sitting at the end of the couch with her book, tried very hard to keep a straight face - but she did make a noise, causing the others to look at her.

Jenny glanced at her husband, raised her eyebrows and motioned towards the nanny.

He nodded as he put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "There are a couple of other people I'd like you to meet. Mildred, this is my son, Sam."

If the older woman was surprised, she didn't show it. "It's very nice to meet you, young man."

Sam leaned a little closer to Gibbs and whispered, "She looks mean too."

Gibbs and Jenny chuckled.

"I can be, Sam… when little people or big people don't behave," she smirked.

The boy swallowed hard. So did Gibbs.

Jenny and Mildred shared a knowing look before the former went over to the playpen to retrieve her baby girl. She first took off her blazer, grabbed a towel and threw it over her shoulder. "Come here, sweet girl. There's someone I want you to meet." Before Jenny sat back down with the guys, she looked at the nanny once more. "I thought she'd be screaming or at least fussy. How'd you calm her down?"

Mildred smiled. "Bourbon."

Jenny and Gibbs both snorted.

"You know, I did have things in her bag to help with the pain," laughed Jenny as she took a seat on the coffee table again.

"I used whiskey on all of my kids. They survived – and so did I," added Mildred.

Julia nestled against Jenny's neck. She kissed the baby on her cheek before turning her around to face her daddy and brother.

Gibbs leaned forward, kissing his daughter on her head. "Sam, I want you to meet Julia. She's your baby sister."

"Baby sister?" Sam repeated, a bit confused. He noticed her drooling and made a face. "She's messy."

Jenny laughed. "She won't be like this forever. At least I hope not. That could make high school a bit awkward," she smirked.

Gibbs frowned as he reached for the baby, taking her from Jenny. "Stop teasing Jules. She's perfect no matter how much she drools."

Sam laughed. "Jules grools."

Gibbs groaned. "Great. Hope that doesn't stick with her through high school."

Jenny smiled. "Thanks a lot for that one, Daddy." She looked at the clock on the wall. "Who's ready for lunch?"

Gibbs nodded. "I'll go. What do you want, Sam?"

"Peanut butter and gelly."

Jenny smiled as she remembered her own fondness for that sandwich as a child. "How about some milk?"

Both Gibbs and Jenny were unprepared for the traumatized look that crossed Sam's face. He then burst into tears. They looked at each other, horrified and stunned into paralysis.

Downstairs in the bullpen, Tony heard his young friend's screams and immediately headed upstairs. He saw the shock on the adults' faces. "Sam!"

"Tony, they didn't ask for mug," he cried, as he ran towards Tony. The special agent bent down and took the boy in his arms and tried to console him. He saw the concern in Jenny's eyes and the anger in Gibbs.

"What the hell just happened?" Gibbs was irate.

Tony sighed. "We don't say m-i-l-k. It makes him think of his m-o-t-h-e-r, which makes this happen," he said motioning to the boy crying in his arms. "So instead I ask him if he wants to have some mud. It's our code word to avoid _this_."

Jenny was amazed. "How did you even think of that, Tony?" She ignored the glare she knew she was getting from her husband.

He tried to let go of Sam but the boy continued to cling to him. "Jeanne. I remembered her talking about doing something similar when she had her peds rotation. So I tried it out, and it seemed to work."

"Come over here, Sam," insisted Gibbs.

The boy kept a hand on Tony's shoulder but turned towards his father. "No," he pouted and then looked back to his friend. "I saw Mommy today."

Gibbs handed Julia back to Jenny and was about to get up when she glared at him, using her hand to hold him down. "Stop this," she whispered in a firm tone. "Listen to their conversation. You need to think of Sam's needs right now."

He glared right back at her before he stood up. "Getting lunch," he grunted as he walked out.

Tony kept his eyes on Sam, not wanting to see the anger on his mentor's face.

Jenny moved herself and Julia, who nuzzled into her neck again, over to the couch. When Tony looked at her, she simply shrugged.

"Okay, buddy, how'd it go? Did you get to talk to her?"

Sam nodded, his lower lip quivering. "She was still pretty, but it was a little scary."

Tony sat back on his knees. "I bet you were very brave. Did she say anything?"

He sniffled. "She said to stay with them," he said, pointing at Jenny. "But I can stay with you, right? I take care of you, and you take care of me."

Jenny's heart sank; she was relieved Jethro was out of the room. She rubbed her daughter's back and kissed her cheek, needing her comfort.

Tony looked at her sympathetically before turning his attention back to Sam. "I think you'll have a great time staying with Gibbs and Jenny."

"He's my gaddy. I have two gads," he said sadly, holding up two fingers.

Both Tony and Jenny perked up at that news. He took Sam's hand and walked him back over to the couch where they joined Jenny and Julia. "You know, Sam, you're incredibly lucky to have Gibbs as one of your two dads. I bet Abby, Tim and even me are a bit jealous of you. We all wish he was our dad."

Jenny smiled.

"Really? Why?" he asked, not impressed.

Tony leaned back against the couch. "He's a cool guy. He's very brave. He knows how to build boats. You like boats, don't you?" Sam nodded. "And Jenny here is pretty great too."

Sam glanced over his shoulder at her and then turned back to Tony. "Why?"

"Well, she used to be a secret agent with Ziva."

The boy's eyes widened as he turned to face Jenny. "You were? You shoot anyone?"

"Only if they were really, really bad and deserved it," she said.

"Wow."

Tony smiled. "She's also a really good fighter. And she dances too."

Jenny laughed. "Is that it for my good points?"

"You may want to help me out here."

She readjusted Julia to her other shoulder. "Let's see… I'm great at reading bedtime stories. I love to play games, and I believe I'm pretty good at giving hugs."

"What do you think, Sam? She sounds pretty great."

Sam still seemed a bit skeptical of Jenny. She sighed and realized her yelling at him earlier was going to be a big hurdle to get over. Gibbs returned and took in the sight before him - Tony with _his_ wife and kids on the couch looking very cozy and comfortable. He wasn't pleased.

"Tony, maybe if you came too."

Gibbs groaned, causing all eyes to notice he was in the room. "Lunch," he said, shaking the bag.

The very special agent looked up. "I'm going now, Sam. We can talk some more after you eat."

"No, Tony, stay!" he pleaded.

Tony took one look at his boss and knew it wasn't a good idea. "I think I'd better go."

Jenny could see that Sam was about to start crying again and touched Tony's arm. "No, why don't you stay." The boy's look of relief was all she needed to know she did the right thing, despite the anger she could see on her husband's face.

"You sure?"

Gibbs grunted. "I don't think it's necessary."

"Yes it is," shouted Sam.

"Here's your sandwich and drink," Gibbs said as he placed the bags on the coffee table. "Jen, outside."

She groaned as she placed a now sleeping Julia down in her playpen. She followed her husband into Cynthia's office area. Her assistant was thankfully not around.

"Damn it, Jen. We don't need DiNozzo around. What do you think you're doing?"

She sighed. "Yes, we do. Your son is traumatized. What brings him comfort? Tony. I know that pisses you off, but it's true. And right now, your priority should be making him feel safe – not establishing yourself as his father. Doing _that_, putting his needs first, _will _prove that you're his father."

He struggled to keep his temper in check. "It's his fault that I'm on the outside looking in. I want _him_ out."

Jenny took his hand and squeezed it. "It's not Tony's fault, other than these last two weeks. Vivienne is the reason for the last four years. But," she whispered, "yelling at her isn't easy because she's quite possibly dying. It's not fair to keep making Tony pay for what he thought was the right thing to do."

"He should have called me. I should have been the one comforting him after what happened, the one bonding with him," he said, pointedly. He saw that his words deflated his wife.

"So you regret our honeymoon?"

"No, that's not what I mean," he said, frustrated. "I just can't help but feel horrible about not being there for him. I missed his first four years of life. But here was a chance to be there for him – during the worst moment of his life – and Tony took that away from me!" he said, getting worked up. "And to top it off, when Sam was going through hell – where was I? Having two of the greatest weeks of my life. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?"

Jenny bit her lower lip, letting his words sink in. "You feel guilty," she sighed. "I get it. Well, you can hate me all you want, Jethro, but I'll never regret it. Those two weeks with you and Julia meant the world to me – I thought to _us_. I have a feeling it's what I'll be needing to hold onto for some time to come."

He gathered her in his arms and sighed. "It did mean the world to me too. I don't regret it. I just… the whole situation sucks and I don't know what to do."

She hugged him tightly. "Hold on to me – and never forget that there isn't anything we can't make it through as long as we're together."

He relaxed a bit in her arms. "I see you're still my secret weapon."

Jenny smiled. "Never forget it."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Not sure if that many people are still reading this but for those of you who are, I hope you're able to enjoy it. I realize it's different but each story has been different from the last. As time goes on, they grow and change. Thanks for hanging in there.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"Be right there, McGee." Gibbs closed his phone and looked at his wife. "Gotta go. He's got something."

Before he took two steps, Jenny called after him. "Aren't you forgetting someone?"

He looked at her like she was crazy. "You want Sam with me downstairs?"

She put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "Agent DiNozzo." When he rolled his eyes, she became livid. "You listen to me," she said, getting in his face and lowering her voice. "It's bad enough how you are treating him personally, but you better cut this crap when it comes to NCIS business."

"Is that an order?" he asked, obviously irritated.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "If that's what it will take, then yes. You need a full team. Leave the personal issues for after hours," she said, a bit exasperated.

"Fine. Send him down then."

"Jethro," she called out to him. When he turned around, she continued. "What _are_ we going to do about Sam? I'm overwhelmed with all I have to catch up on as it is. Are you leaving me to figure this out?"

He sighed, realizing he was putting her in an unfair position. "Could you keep him up here, at least for today? Tonight we'll talk and figure things out."

She nodded. "I suppose I could as long as he has things to keep him occupied. I'll ask Tony what he's been doing with him during the day. And you can roll your eyes all you want but he _is_ a resource – and I for one plan to utilize him." Jenny watched as he headed out before she returned to her office.

Tony took in her body language and stood up. "How bad is it?"

"Hopefully not very. McGee has something. You should head downstairs. But first, what did Sam do while you worked all day?"

"He sat on one of your comforters from MTAC, near my desk, and watched DVDs, played with his video games or drew in his coloring book."

"Please tell me he has headphones."

Tony laughed. "Yeah, he does."

"Great," Jenny said, relieved. "OK, Sam, let's go get your stuff and you can play up here."

The boy stood up and reached for Tony's hand. "That's okay. I like where I sit now."

Tony saw Jenny's frustration. "Sam, that wasn't a request. You need to come back up here."

"But I want to be with _you_," he pouted.

"I'm going to be working and will probably need to leave the building. It's better if you stay up here with Mildred, Jenny and Julia."

Sam tugged on Tony's blazer. "You're leaving me with mean people?"

Jenny sighed, shaking her head. She knelt down next to him. "Please forgive me for yelling at you. If you _behave_, I promise you'll never hear me yell at you again. At others – well, that I can't promise," she smirked.

He reached out and gently touched Jenny's hair - his eyes widened. "Your hair's like Mommy," he said, sniffling.

Jenny's heart broke for him. "Do you want a hug?"

He shook his head and reached for Tony's hand. "Let's get my stuff."

Tony felt horrible for Jenny. "Be patient. I'll send him back up with his knapsack."

Jenny nodded as she watched them leave. She stayed on the floor for a few seconds, needing to regroup. She glanced over at Mildred, who saw the exchange.

"Director, Agent DiNozzo is right. You and Gibbs need to be patient," she said.

Jenny sighed. "So I keep hearing."

Gibbs noticed Tony walking with Sam into the bullpen and narrowed his eyes. The agent stood by his boss and the boy ran to gather his things.

"Do I really have to go back upstairs and sit with _her_?" asked Sam.

Tony was about to speak up when he realized he needed to let Gibbs handle it.

He noticed the younger agent stop himself, so Gibbs bent down to speak with his son. "I'd really appreciate it if you would help me keep an eye on Jenny. She works too hard sometimes so if you could make sure things stay quiet in there and she's able to get her work done in peace, I'd really appreciate it. Think you can do that?"

Sam shrugged. "I guess." He put his knapsack on and headed back to her office.

Gibbs stood back up and watched until Sam disappeared behind the door. "McGee, what'cha got?"

Tim filled everyone in on his latest findings. After the update was done, Gibbs told Tony and Ziva to go out in the field and follow up the first lead while he and Tim were heading to the other side of the Navy Yard to check out the second one.

Before leaving, Tony took Gibbs aside. "Just so you know, there was a moment between Jenny and Sam. She asked him if he wanted a hug, and he blew her off. She tried to cover, but I could tell it hurt."

Gibbs scrubbed his hand down his face and sighed. He nodded begrudgingly at Tony before motioning for Tim to join him.

Ziva walked over to Tony. "He did not bite your head off. I suppose this is progress, yes?"

"At this point, I'll take what I can get."

In her office, Jenny was sitting at her desk reading through the stack of case files Holly had left behind. Every few minutes, she found herself peering over the file to check on Sam, who was playing with the Nintendo Tim had given him, to make sure he was okay.

Every few minutes, while playing his game, Sam would glance over at Jenny to make sure she was okay – taking his assignment from Gibbs seriously.

After an hour, Julia's whimpering turned into full-fledged crying. Before Jenny could get up, she noticed Sam walk over to the playpen. "Shhhh. It has to be quiet in here."

Jenny raised her eyebrows. His actions made her curious. She wheeled her chair around her desk so she could get a better look.

Unfortunately for Sam, and perhaps a sign of things to come, his little sister had no intention of listening to him.

Jenny and Mildred shared a look, both amused.

Sam was getting frustrated. "I said shhhhh! You have to stop! Stop," he yelled.

Jenny immediately got up and went over to Sam. "It's all right. She can't help herself. Julia isn't able to talk, and this is the only way she has to let me know she's hungry or upset." She reached in and caressed her daughter's face. "I'm guessing hungry in this case." Jenny took off her blazer, grabbed a towel and reached down to retrieve the baby. "There, there, sweet girl. I'll feed you in a second. Sam, why was it so important that Julia be quiet?"

"Gibbs saig you shoulg have quiet ang it's my job to keep it that way."

Jenny took in his earnest demeanor and smiled. "Well, thank you. I appreciate your taking care of me, I really do. I'm going to feed her now. I promise you, she'll be quiet while I do that."

He nodded. "Okay."

Mildred smiled. "Sam, how about we go for a brief walk around the building while the baby is fed? Do you know Abby?"

His eyes lit up. "Abby!" he clapped.

The nanny turned to look at Jenny, who mouthed, "Thank you." The older woman nodded as she closed the door behind them.

Jenny grabbed the nursing pillow, unbuttoned her blouse and began to feed the baby. She smiled at the rare moment of silence and wiped away her daughter's tears. After several minutes of caressing her little cheeks and kissing her fingers, she began talking to her. "I love you so much, Julia. Your daddy loves you too. Just so you know, Sam is going to be coming home with us. He's your big brother. It will probably take some getting used to," she sighed. "Okay, it will definitely take some getting used to, but we have to make this work. It's very important to your daddy, so therefore it's very important to both of us."

Julia's eyes started to droop as her formerly active fingers relaxed on top of her mommy's breast.

"I don't want you to worry," continued Jenny. "Your daddy has such a big heart – plenty of room to love you, me _and_ Sam. And Sam needs us." Julia stopped eating, so she removed her and placed her over her shoulder, rubbing her back. Jenny thought about what Vivienne was going through, fighting for her life while worrying about her son – and the unfairness of the situation overwhelmed her. She held her daughter close, tears coming to her eyes. "If anything happened, and I couldn't be with you, Julia – I don't know what I'd do," she sighed. "Poor Sam."

About 20 minutes later, Mildred and Sam, who was sucking on a lollipop, returned from their walk around NCIS. Jenny put her file down along with her glasses. "So how was it? Did you get to see Abby?" For the first time, she saw a genuine smile on the boy's face.

"She let me hug Bert. It was so cool."

His excitement was infectious. "What else did you to do?"

"I got to use my skates and went really fast down the hallway. Then we saw Gucky, and he gave me this!" He showed off his lollipop proudly to her.

Jenny smiled. "Well that's pretty awesome. Ducky must really like you."

Sam nodded. He then looked over at Julia, his eyes wide. "You got her to be quiet."

"I sure did. But don't count on it lasting for all that long. She's getting a new tooth, and it's making her cry a lot cause it hurts. That's why she's also drooling. You know, you went through that too."

"Did I grool like that?"

Jenny smiled. "I'm betting you did but probably not as bad. You seem too smart and grown up for that."

He smiled. "I am."

She and Mildred shared a knowing look. Jenny watched as Sam returned to the couch. She relaxed a bit as she sat back, grabbed a file and her glasses and began to read. A few minutes later, Jenny felt a tug on her blazer. She looked down and saw Sam holding his Nintendo, looking like he wanted to sit on her lap. Her breath caught in her throat. She lifted him up and watched as he settled his back against her and continued playing his game. She shared a look with Mildred – both women smiling. Jenny was scared to do anything, like kiss his head or hug him so she just let him be. She reached for her file and continued reading as he continued playing.

About 15 minutes later, Gibbs entered her office. His eyes widened at the sight before him. Sam was playing his video game while leaning back against Jenny's chest. She was trying to concentrate on a case file when she felt his presence. She put the file down and smiled at him.

"How did this come about?" he whispered, thrilled at their progress.

"He wanted up, so…" she smiled. She could tell her husband was choked up. He reached for her fingers, which she gladly gave him. "He's really good at this game. I can barely make out the screen."

"I can't tell you what seeing you two like this means to me."

"Me too," she said quietly. "Tomorrow, Jethro…"

He sighed. "We'll figure it out tonight."

"That's not what I was going to say." She saw his confusion. "I want to take him to see Vivienne."

His eyes narrowed. "You sure?"

She nodded. "I need to do this. I have to do this. She and I need to have a talk."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: This is a bit longer, mostly because I didn't think there was enough to break it into two chapters and frankly this day has been long enough. Thanks to everyone who left a review, letting me know they're still reading! You guys are great!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny looked at the clock. It was 1700, and still no word from her husband since he'd been called away five minutes after she'd seen him earlier. Normally it wouldn't bother her because she could fend for herself if she or Julia became hungry but dinner was a whole new ballgame with the newest addition to their family.

"You getting hungry, Sam?" When she didn't get an answer, she peered over her file and saw he had on his headphones watching a movie with his teddy bear. She took advantage of his being occupied to reach for her phone, dialing the familiar number.

"Yeah, Gibbs."

"Yeah, Jenny."

He laughed. "Didn't look before answering. What's up?"

"Have you noticed the time? I'm guessing I'm going to have a very hungry 4-year-old as soon as his DVD ends. What's the plan?"

Gibbs looked over at McGee questioning their witness. "I'm about two hours from being able to get home."

"Jethro," she sighed. "Fine. I'll handle it. Where's his car seat?"

His eyes widened at the realization. "Don't hate me."

"Are you serious?" She was exasperated. "Great. Just great. I'll order in but I would have liked more time to get him situated at home."

"I know. I messed up." He shook his head, annoyed with himself. "Did you already call Noemi –"

"To set up a place for him to sleep? Yes. Several hours ago." She rubbed the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache coming on.

"I really don't know what I'd do without you."

Jenny stood up, stretching her neck from side to side. "I'll tell you what you'd do. You'd have a starving son with no place to sleep."

He smiled. "Instead I have an irritated wife."

She laughed. "We'll be fine. Just hurry back to us. It's a big night."

"I know," he said quietly, seeing McGee approach. "_Everything_."

"_Everything_," she said, smiling as she hung up the phone. Jenny looked back over at Sam, who was still watching his movie. "Hmm…" She picked up the phone again and dialed an extension.

"DiNozzo."

"Are you in the middle of anything?"

He stopped typing on his computer. "Nothing that can't wait, Director. What's up?"

"The _husband_ has Sam's car seat." Tony chuckled. "So we're stuck having dinner here. I'm ordering in and wanted to know if you could join us."

He looked over at his partner, working away on her computer. "Just me?"

"Ziva can as well. I was just hoping I could pick your brain about things I probably need to know. Like… what does he enjoy having for dinner so I know where to order from?" she asked as she looked at various menus in her hand.

"You know I'm always up for food so I'm in. Let's see… he likes pizza, chicken – pretty much anything."

"Thanks for narrowing it down," she frowned. "OK, if anyone else wants to join us, bring them up here and let's get the order figured out."

"On our way," he said, hanging up the phone. He then took a paperclip and threw it at Ziva's head.

Her reflexes kicked in, and she caught it. "Do that again and risk horrible retribution."

He smirked. "Hungry? Director's paying."

Both smiled for a second and then raced each other up the stairs and past Cynthia, who looked at them confused.

Jenny looked up from her file and narrowed her eyes. "Why are you two out of breath?" She saw their sheepish expressions. "And here I thought NCIS paid you both enough that the offer of free food shouldn't be _this_ exciting."

"Yeah, well…" laughed Tony. He looked over at Sam, who was just finishing his movie.

"Tony!" The young boy went running into the special agent's arms. "I'm hungry. What's for ginner?"

Tony lifted him up and walked towards Jenny. "We're actually trying to figure that out."

Jenny came around her desk and took Sam's foot playfully in her hand. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Pizza!"

Jenny discussed toppings with Ziva and Tony and then nodded at Cynthia, who smiled. "I'll call it in, Director."

"Tony, flip over!" demanded Sam.

Jenny looked at them, confused. Her mouth quickly dropped when she watched Sam fling himself backwards with Tony only holding him around his knees. The boy's fits of laughter put her at ease. "So this is something that's considered fun? You almost gave me a heart attack. I didn't want to have to explain to his father how he cracked his head on my watch."

Ziva laughed. "He is a monkey, this one."

Jenny walked over to them and started tickling Sam. "Is that right? Are you a monkey?"

Tony did his best to hold onto Sam, who was squirming and laughing from being tickled, but as he began to fall out of his grasp, Jenny grabbed him under his arms and helped the boy onto his feet.

"Again!" he said, as he lifted his arms up at Tony.

After a half hour, the pizza arrived. Jenny and Tony sat on one end of the couch having their discussion, while Ziva and Cynthia were sitting on chairs at the other end, hanging out with Sam.

Just as things began to wrap up, Gibbs walked in, startled to find a mini party in front of him. "Looks like I missed a good time."

Jenny tried to read his body language to figure out where his head was at. Not having much luck, she simply pointed to one of the pizza boxes. "Saved you some."

The other adults in the room quickly left as Gibbs grabbed a slice and sat down next to his wife.

She noticed Sam tense up a bit and wanted to put him at ease with Jethro. "Why don't you tell your dad what you did today?"

He looked around, confused. "But Gaddy's in the hospital."

Jenny motioned towards Gibbs. When Sam's face seemed to say, "Ohhhhh," she smiled.

He frowned a bit, but then as he filled him in, Sam began to relax. Jenny had a feeling her husband understood what she was doing when he reached for and squeezed her hand.

They soon gathered up their things and met Tony in the garage. He quickly handed over Sam's two suitcases, which Gibbs placed in the trunk.

"Can I say goodbye to him?" Gibbs nodded, so Tony went to the passenger side and opened the door. "I'll see you again soon, buddy." He saw the bear in his arms. "You and Simon be good."

"You can't come too?" Sam pouted.

"We'll have Tony over soon, Sam, but not tonight. He has a lot to do," offered Jenny, once again trying to stave off an argument between the two adult men.

Sam watched as Tony closed the door. "Bye," he said sadly.

Tony waved to his young friend as their car pulled away. "I'm really going to miss him," he acknowledged.

When they got to the house, Noemi greeted them at the door. "Welcome home, Senora and Senor Gibbs." She then leaned over to briefly kiss the baby in Jenny's arms before noticing the young boy. "This is Sam?"

The boy hid behind Jenny. He then peered around her leg and looked up at the housekeeper with wide eyes, not sure what was going on. Gibbs quickly stepped inside. "Sam, this is Noemi. She helps us around the house. Can you say hello?"

The boy was completely overwhelmed. All he could manage was a tiny wave, which was enough to make Noemi happy.

"The guest room clean for him. I go now," she said.

Jenny smiled. "Thank you, Noemi. Have a wonderful night."

Gibbs closed the door behind her. "Heading for the nursery to feed Jules?" Jenny nodded. "I'll get Sam situated in his room."

Jenny took a fussy Julia into the nursery. She grabbed the pillow and sat in the rocking chair. "Settle down, sweet girl. Give me a second - you'll be eating shortly, I promise," she sighed. She leaned back and relaxed once Julia was latched on. "There you go," she said, slowly stroking her cheek. "Much better, isn't it? For both of us." She leaned over and pressed play on the CD player so they could both relax as she rocked lightly.

After a few minutes, the door suddenly flew open and Sam came walking inside. He stopped when he noticed Julia, his eyes widened big as saucers. "What?" was all he managed to get out.

Jenny knew this conversation was going to have to take place, but she foolishly didn't think it would be so soon. "This is how Julia eats. She gets…" She caught herself, unsure if using the word milk in this context would cause a problem. "…food from my breast. I'm sure you did the same with your mommy when you were her size."

Jethro appeared in the doorway, out of breath. "Sorry. He got away from me."

Jenny smiled reassuringly. "It's okay, Daddy. As often as she's fed, it was bound to happen."

Sam tried to peer around to get a better look and instead opted for climbing on Jenny's lap. "She gets foog that way?"

She could tell he seemed a bit confused, so she tried to clarify. "Mud."

He nodded, trying to understand. He leaned in to get a closer look, making Jenny a bit nervous about what he was going to do next. He looked up at her quizzically. "She's eating you?"

Jenny laughed lightly. "Not exactly. She's latched on, sucking out the… mud."

He frowned. "It hurts?"

"Not yet but I worry it might when her teeth come in."

Gibbs snorted. "He seems fascinated. He's my son all right."

Jenny shook her head, amused. "You got that right."

Sam then curled up in her other arm, seeming to want the same loving care that Julia was getting.

Jenny looked up at a surprised Jethro. "Can you fill one of his sippy cups and bring it here?" She saw the trepidation on his face. "Please. Trust me."

Gibbs returned in a few minutes, just as Julia was finishing up. "Want me to take her?" When she nodded, he took the baby and put the sippy cup on the end table to her left. He rubbed the baby's back lovingly, waiting for her burp.

Jenny fixed herself with one hand and buttoned up her blouse. She then lifted Sam's legs and swung them over her lap. Reaching for the sippy cup, she handed it to him and cradled the boy in her arms in a similar way she held Julia.

"Jen…"

She could tell her husband was uncomfortable with what she was doing. "Go then, Jethro." He did, taking Julia with him. Jenny sighed, but she believed in her heart that this was what Sam needed. She couldn't imagine what the last two weeks had been like without his mother holding him. He had to be hungry for a maternal connection, for affection and she was the only option at the moment. She stroked his hair, holding him close and kissing his forehead.

Sam took refuge in the way Jenny looked at him so lovingly and he relaxed in her arms, the rocking motion working its magic for the next several minutes. At one point, he lifted his hand up and pet her hair, making Jenny smile. He took the sippy cup out of his mouth. "I'm sleepy."

"You've had quite a day, haven't you?" He nodded as he sat back up on her lap. "Do you know how to brush your teeth by yourself or do you need help?"

"I can brush," he said proudly.

She smiled as she placed him down on the ground. He started to walk for the door, but turned around so he could come back and give Jenny a hug. She held him tightly against her, grateful for the breakthrough. "Thank you for the hug, sweet boy."

"Is Gibbs mag at me?"

Her face softened as she squeezed his hand. "Of course not, but you probably shouldn't make it a habit of running away from him."

He giggled to himself as he headed off for the bathroom.

Jenny made her way to their bedroom where she found Gibbs, wearing only sweats, laying on top of the bed - snuggling with an exhausted Julia. She quickly changed into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt before joining them on the bed.

"How'd it go?" he asked.

She smiled, wrapping her arms around her bent legs. "He hugged me."

"Wow," he said, genuinely impressed. "You've really come a long way with him today. I'm going to go tuck him in. Where is he?"

"Brushing his teeth," she said as she took Julia from him.

"By himself?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes, why? He said he knows how."

"I'll go check on him," he said, sounding skeptical. "Is Jules staying with us, or are we going to try the crib finally?"

Jenny pouted. "Fine, I'll put her down in the crib while you tuck him in." She stopped herself and saw she had his attention. "Can you believe this conversation? We've become so _domestic_," she laughed.

He smiled, kissing her lightly on the lips. "Shocks me every day," he laughed.

They both walked out of the room, with Jenny reaching her destination first. She gently laid down a sleeping Julia, placing a little blanket over her. She was caressing her head when she heard Jethro yelling for her. She followed the sound of his voice, which led her to the bathroom. Her eyes widened as she saw toothpaste all over the sink, counter and even the shower. "What happened?"

Gibbs tried not to laugh. "You let a 4-year-old brush his teeth by himself."

Jenny cringed, looking down at Sam who was laughing. "I don't suppose you actually got some on your toothbrush?" He shook his head, pleased with himself. She sighed. "You get his teeth brushed, and I'll clean up."

About ten minutes later, with the bathroom toothpaste-free once again, Jenny wandered down to what was now Sam's room. She smiled as she watched her husband reading him a story. When he finished, she could tell he was hoping for a hug but Sam made no such move. Jenny moved towards them and sat on the edge of his bed. She ran her fingers through his hair. "Sleep well, sweet boy."

He smiled before closing his eyes. Jethro reached for his wife's hand, leading her out of the room. Jenny shut the light.

"No, I want a light!"

Gibbs remembered the nightlight and flipped its switch. "Is that better?"

Sam sniffled, obviously scared. "A little."

Gibbs wrapped his arms around his wife's waist as she leaned back against him. "Do you want us to wait here until you fall asleep?"

"No, I'm brave boy."

Gibbs walked back over to him. "You don't have to be so brave. If you need us, we're here for you."

Sam turned over to face his dad. "I'm okay."

Gibbs nodded, caressed his head and walked out of the room with his wife following him. Something inside her told Jenny to wait outside of the room. She motioned for Gibbs to join her, whispering, "I want to make sure he's all right."

He stood next to her, threading their fingers together as they waited. He glanced down, admiring the way her shorts clung to her body. That coupled with the faint smell of her perfume and he was eager to venture back to their bedroom. "Jen," he whispered against her ear as he kissed it.

"Shh," she said, putting her hand up. She then turned to face him. "I think he's crying, Jethro."

The anguish in her voice and eyes touched him deeply. He held her in his arms, trying to soothe her. But Jenny wanted to soothe Sam and wiggled out of his grasp to do just that. Gibbs grabbed a hold of her arms to stop her. "Leave him alone. I'll explain in the bedroom."

She sighed; going against her instincts, she followed him. Once they were in bed, she narrowed her eyes at him. "Explain."

"Jen, you can't stop him from feeling pain. He's scared. He's lonely. He misses his mom and dad. Of course he's going to cry. If it becomes too much, he'll come find us. But he needs to deal with it in his own way."

She frowned. "That sounds so cold, Jethro. He can still cry even if I'm holding him or you are. But he needs to know that he _isn't_ alone. He has us."

"I trusted your instincts earlier; please trust mine now. He'll come to us if he wants to."

Jenny had pushed things enough and decided to let it go, even though her mind continued to drift a couple of bedrooms down the hall. "He'll come," she noted sadly. "Tony said he's been having nightmares every night."

Gibbs bristled at the Tony reference, but he chose to ignore the comment. He saw she was distracted, but he knew they needed to talk. "A helluva day."

She turned her attention back to him. "Ya think?" she said, throwing his usual retort back at him in a harsher tone than she expected.

He eyed her carefully, unsure of her mood. "You realize I had _no_ idea he existed."

She shook her head, debating whether to say how she felt or bite her tongue. She realized they had more important things to discuss than _her_ feelings or his, so for now she chose the latter. "Fine. So how are we handling this? Do we send him to school with a bodyguard? Hire a separate nanny to tutor him and take care of him at work? Because as much as I'd like to hang out with him all day long, I can't spend another day like today. I am so far behind. SecNav isn't going to back off forever and then he'll have my ass."

He could see it was stressing her out. "I know you didn't sign on for this."

She looked at him with irritation before she turned away. "Don't be a jackass. I think I more than showed my commitment to him and to you today. I didn't deserve that."

He sighed. "Jen, I don't even know why what I said warranted that response. I'm flying by the seat of my pants here. I'm overwhelmed. Forgive me if in trying to talk, which you know I suck at… if I say the wrong thing."

She turned back to him. He had a point. The old Jethro would have shut her out and left her with the kids to go work through things on his boat. "You're right. Obviously I'm overwhelmed too. We need to be careful not to take this out on each other."

He nodded. "Even if he goes back to school, that's only a half day. We need to figure out the rest of his day. Maybe when you see Vivienne tomorrow, you can ask her what his schedule usually entailed?"

She nodded. "In the meantime, maybe if you can give me some relief when you're around during the day."

"I can do that but what about when I leave? Can he come upstairs then?"

"Of course he can," she agreed. "And perhaps we should arrange to interview babysitters?"

"What about having him stay with Noemi?"

Jenny frowned. "We'd have to ask her first but how much fun would that be for him? These are all things I knew we'd have to think about down the road with Julia, but I thought we had a few years yet," she sighed.

He put his hand up under her shirt so he could caress her back. "We'll figure this out together. I need you, Jen."

She caressed his face. "I know."

He looked deeply in her eyes and then at her lips. "I mean - I really _need_ you."

She sighed, annoyed. "You've got to be kidding, Jethro. I'm exhausted."

He slipped his other hand across her stomach, leaning in to kiss her neck. "You sure about that?"

"Yes, I'm sure," she said, pushing him away playfully. Suddenly their door, which had been open a little, flew against the wall – causing Gibbs to quickly let go of his wife.

Sam was standing there, tears streaming down his face. "I had a scary gream," he said, sniffling. Jenny immediately motioned for him to come over.

She lifted him up on the bed. "Do you want to sleep with us for a little while?" He nodded, so she lifted the covers and had him join her, sleeping between them.

Gibbs reached down for another pillow and placed it under his head. He watched as Sam snuggled into it, holding Simon close to him. He caressed his son's head as Jenny turned off the light. "You're safe now, Sam. We won't let anything hurt you."

"Promise?"

Jenny kissed his head before she settled on her side. "I'm going to tell you a secret," she whispered conspiratorially.

"What?" Sam asked, interested.

"Your daddy knows how to slay dragons."

His eyes widened. "Can Gibbs make witches, monsters and ghosts gisappear too?"

She caressed his cheek. "Yep. We're very safe with him."

He sighed with relief as he began to drift off to sleep. "Goog."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: A little warning to those who care that the rating is a little higher in the beginning of this chapter. Thanks for still reading and have a great weekend!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny woke up before her alarm. She groaned when she saw the time – 0458 – and figured she might as well get an early jump on her day. She sat up on her elbows, trying to get her bearings, and looked over at her husband. Sam had taken over more of his side of the bed, his arm flailed across Jethro with Simon sitting on his face. She tried not to laugh, finding it rather adorable.

Gibbs must have felt her eyes on him because he then opened his quickly. He was a bit startled to find a teddy bear on him. He gently gave his son back his arm and sighed, unsure if he wanted to wake up or not. He glanced in his wife's direction and noticed she was staring at him, amused by his situation. "Morning," he whispered.

"Good morning, yourself. I'm going to the bathroom. Be right back."

He realized he had to go too, so he quickly went down the hall to use the other bathroom. After, he went to their master bathroom and tapped quietly on the door. Jenny let him in and smiled as he closed and locked the door behind him.

"So are we hiding from the kids?" she asked, allowing him to wrap his arms around her waist. He nodded and kissed her temple. "_Kids_," she repeated, finding it surreal. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around this."

He sighed and leaned his forehead against hers. "Tell me about it." She put her arms around his neck, and it felt so good to him to be held by her. "Were you able to sleep?" She nodded and lowered her head down against his shoulder. "So you're not exhausted anymore?" he asked.

She felt his smile against her neck, understanding his meaning. "Is that your not-so-subtle way of asking for a quickie in here?"

He kissed her behind her ear as his hands caressed her back. "Well, I'd rather it not be quick or in here but I'm not sure how else we can do it."

Her fingers made their way through his chest hair as she leaned her face up to kiss him. "Gotta do what we gotta do."

Gibbs kissed her deeply as he maneuvered her to the counter, easily lifting her up on it. He broke away from the kiss to pull her shirt over her head. "Keep quiet."

Jenny wiggled out of her shorts, dropping them to the floor. "You too," she said pointedly as she untied his sweats and shoved them downward with her feet. "The counter's cold," she commented while wrapping her legs around his waist, digging her feet into his hips.

"Give me a few seconds to warm you up." He kissed her hungrily as his hands sought to possess every inch of her.

She needed him so much, letting her hands get lost in his hair as he had his way with her. Their bodies moved as one, with Jenny holding on tightly to him, her head thrown back as their passion increased. It took every ounce of her control to keep her mouth shut, biting her lip to the point of almost drawing blood. She needed this just as much as he did. She had to feel his commitment to her, to their life together. It wasn't enough to just be parents – she had to have her husband, her partner, her lover. Making love to him always made her feel that as long as they were together, they could handle anything.

Gibbs grunted when they eventually finished, a satisfied smirk crossing his lips. "Not as bad as I thought in here." He saw her disbelief. "Lots of mirrors," he whispered into her ear, making her smile. "God I love you." She said the same thing back before their lips crashed together one more time. They were soon interrupted by Julia's cries, breaking them apart.

Jenny laughed. "Her timing's getting a tiny bit better." He chuckled as he watched her put her shorts and shirt back on.

Before she made it out the door, they heard Sam yelling. "Stop crying, baby!"

They looked at each other, trying not to laugh. Jenny shook her head, "Oh boy. You get him, I'll get her."

Gibbs smiled as he quickly put his sweats back on. "And so it begins."

A few hours later, Jenny and Sam were sitting in chairs, waiting to see Vivienne. He held on tightly to Simon for comfort. She wasn't sure, but she thought he looked even smaller and a bit scared. She put her arm around him reassuringly. "You'll get to see Mommy soon. The doctor will tell us as soon as he's done examining her."

He nodded. "When can I see Gaddy? I miss him too."

She took her fingers and smoothed out his hair. "I know you do. Let's ask the doctor when we see him, okay?" He sighed, letting Jenny know he was getting frustrated with his situation. Just then, her phone began to vibrate, and she cursed the fact that she couldn't be unreachable. "Sorry, Sam. I have to take a call." She pressed a button and put the phone to her ear. "Shepard," she announced, obviously annoyed.

Cynthia sighed. She hated her job sometimes. "Sorry to disturb you, Director, but SecNav has requested that you join him for lunch at 1300, his usual place. I checked the calendar and you are free, but I didn't want to assume that you'd be back by then."

"Please tell him I'll be there. Thank you, Cynthia. Anything else?"

"I take it things aren't going well on your end?"

Jenny shook her head. "Lots of waiting. And I don't think either of us like it," she said, glancing at Sam.

At NCIS, Gibbs was in Jenny's office, needing privacy to make a couple of phone calls as he waited for a warrant to come through on the case. He dialed a number and waited until the person finally answered. "Dad, it's me."

"Leroy! How was the honeymoon? Your girls love it?"

Gibbs scrubbed his hand down his face. "It already feels like that was a hundred years ago. Yeah, great time."

"Son, what's wrong?"

Gibbs leaned back in his wife's chair, his eyes focused on the framed picture of Julia on her desk. "Got a surprise yesterday."

"What?"

"Turns out I have a son. He's 4-years-old and named Sam." He listened. "Dad, are you okay?"

Jack's eyes widened as he looked at his phone in shock. "Leroy, let me turn my hearing aid up. I couldn't have heard you right."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Yeah, it's a shock for me too."

"Who's his mother?"

"I'll fill you in later. Want to schedule a weekend to meet him?"

Jack couldn't stop smiling.

Jenny and Sam were about to enter Vivienne's room. She looked down at him. "You sure you're ready for this?" When he nodded, she guided him inside. She took a seat in the chair next to the woman's bed, lifting Sam up on her lap so he'd be closer to her. "Remember, the doctor said not to touch her."

"I know," he answered, his voice cracking with emotion. "Mommy, wake up."

Vivienne's eyes were heavy but she managed to open them. "Hey there, Sammy. How's my big boy?"

"I miss you," he said, trying not to cry. "When can you and Gaddy take me home?"

Jenny could see that Vivienne was struggling, trying not to cry. She hated to interrupt, but she got the feeling that the woman had no idea how to answer her son. "Sam, she's going to take you home as soon as she can, but she has to get all better first."

"That's right, Sam," she said, shooting Jenny a grateful look. "Who's your new friend?"

"I'm Jenny Shepard, Vivienne. I'm the director of NCIS," she said smiling, trying to put the other woman at ease.

She sighed. "Gibbs' boss."

"And his wife." She saw the woman seemed mildly surprised. Not that it was easy to tell. She was obviously in a lot of pain. She'd been told the burns on her arms and body were extensive. Her face seemed to have deep cuts and bruises, but Jenny had expected her to look much worse. "You have a pretty amazing son in this one," she said, rubbing his shoulder.

Sam immediately tensed up, worried his mommy might not like the other woman taking care of him.

"Yes, I do. Hope he hasn't been too much trouble." Talking was a little easier for Vivienne today, but she was still struggling a bit.

"I don't want to tire you out. I thought it important that we meet – mother to mother – so I could tell you Sam is in good hands and hopefully put your mind at ease," she said gently. "He misses you terribly and asks about you and your husband all the time, but we love him already and we'll take precious care of him until you're able to do it yourself. You have my word."

Vivienne's eyes began to tear again. "Thank you," she said hoarsely, obviously moved by her words.

Sam became visibly upset. He turned around to face Jenny, his lower lip quivering as he did his best to hold back the tears. "Stop making my mommy cry."

Jenny's heart melted, seeing his pain. She reached out to comfort him. "But Sam…"

He pulled away from her, crawled down off her lap and ran around to the other side of Vivienne's bed. When Jenny followed him, he pointed at the door. "You go now. We gon't neeg you," he cried out, sniffling as he tried to hold it together.

"Enough Sammy," admonished Vivienne, as loud as she could manage. She saw she had his attention. "Honey, don't blame her. She was trying to make me happy."

He calmed down a little, but he still looked warily at Jenny, not sure if he completely believed.

"Please, be my brave, big boy for Jenny and Gibbs and a good big brother. Do you like the baby?"

He frowned. "She cries a lot. She grools too."

"Teething," Jenny said quietly.

Vivienne looked to be fading. "I remember those days. Sammy, I'm getting tired. I love you."

"I love you too, Mommy! I want to stay with you. Gon't make me go," he cried.

Jenny looked up at the ceiling and closed her eyes, his words breaking _her_ heart. She couldn't imagine how Vivienne was handling it. "Sam, we'll come back but we have to let your mommy get her rest so she can heal."

"No!" he stomped his foot. "It's not fair! I want to stay with Mommy. Gon't you love me still?"

Vivienne saw the tears streaming down his face, and they mirrored her own. "You know I love you!"

Jenny was beside herself watching it all play out in front of her. She had her own tears falling and made a move towards Sam. He saw her coming and freaked out, instead running past her out the door crying. Jenny turned to Vivienne, her hand over her mouth in shock.

Vivienne also looked traumatized, her eyes begging Jenny. "He can't be allowed to run all over. Please stop him."

"I'll go to him. And don't worry - one of my bodyguards stopped him, I'm sure." She saw the other woman completely shaken. "I'm so sorry. We had such a good night and morning. I just…" she broke off, not even knowing what to say.

"Jenny, I can't begin to thank you for all you're doing and for bringing him here. Please don't let him go through this alone."

"He'll never be alone. Know that."

Vivienne saw the other woman's determination and believed her. "Thank you."

Jenny wiped the tears from her face and nodded tightly, trying to keep it together. "One of us will keep bringing him back to visit. Get better, Vivienne. He needs you."

"I know," she managed. "I'm trying."

Back at NCIS, Gibbs received the call he'd been waiting for. "Hey Mike, thanks for calling me back." He quickly returned to Jenny's office so they could speak privately.

"This better be good, Probie. You interrupted my morning siesta."

"Siesta? Shouldn't you just be waking up?"

"I don't judge you, do I?"

Gibbs laughed. "Yeah, well, thought you'd want to know some news."

"You didn't knock her up again, did you?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Nooooo, but you're not too far off."

Mike groaned. "It's too early for riddles. Spit it out."

Gibbs looked out the window. "Found out yesterday that a woman I was seeing casually several years ago… had a baby. I have a 4-year-old son, if you can believe it."

"Jesus, Jethro," he said, quickly finding a chair to sit in. "I guess congrats are in order. Tell me, how's Slugger dealing with it?"

"She and Sam are bonding a lot faster than he and I are," he admitted, a bit resentful.

"That's not what I meant. I'm sure she's a great mom to him. But that's a lot to digest."

Gibbs was suddenly feeling inadequate. "I think she's okay. We haven't really had a chance to talk."

"Find the time. Those still waters of hers run awfully deep. Tread carefully."

"Yeah. I will." Gibbs sighed, now a little worried.

Outside Vivienne's room, Jenny spotted Melvin trying to calm Sam down. She walked towards them. "We have to go." She reached her hand out for Sam to take, but he refused. "We'll talk about this in the car, but we need to get on the road. If you don't want my hand, will you at least follow?"

He planted his feet firmly on the ground, shaking his head furiously. "I want to stay with Mommy."

"I know you do, and I promise we'll bring you back here but I have to hurry back to the office, drop you off and go to my meeting with my boss. Please?" she pleaded.

He shook his head no, just as determined.

"I'm sorry to do this to you, Sam." Jenny sighed, looking from one bodyguard to the other before deciding. "Melvin, can you?" she motioned towards Sam with a nod of her head.

He instantly grabbed Sam around his legs, tossed him over his shoulder and stood up fluidly. The young boy began screaming as they headed down the hallway. Jenny ignored the stares they were getting, silently cursing the way her day had turned out.

Jenny was almost grateful to be given the silent treatment all the way back so that she could try to get the feelings that were threatening to overwhelm her under control. When they arrived back at NCIS, he tried to run away from her in the garage but she grabbed a hold of his shirt collar from behind. "Not so fast, young man."

"You're being mean again," he spit out, the worst insult he had in his still growing vocabulary.

"That may be but I'm still the grown up here, and you have to listen to what I say." All four stepped into the elevator. Jenny pressed the bullpen's floor but as it started to go up, she flipped the switch, kneeling down next to him. "I know you're angry. But I still love you, and Daddy Gibbs loves you. OK?" She realized he wasn't budging. She stood back up and flipped the switch again to restart the elevator. "Bet I know whose side you take after in the stubborn department."

Henry snorted despite himself and quickly turned serious when Jenny raised an eyebrow his direction. "Sorry, Ma'am."

"It's all right," she said, managing a small smile. "OK, young man, when this elevator comes to a stop, there will be no running in the office. We will _walk_ to see Gibbs. Am I understood?" He didn't say anything. "_Am I understood_?"

Taken aback by the sternness in her tone, he nodded.

"That's more like it." The doors opened and he ran out, bee-lining it for Tony's desk. She sighed, watching him go. "Great," she said, shaking her head. "I will see you both in 10 minutes, when I hope to be back in charge of some people who may actually listen to me."

She passed Tony. "Please take care and comfort him for a few minutes." She then walked over to her husband, ignored the look he was giving Tony, grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the elevator. Once they were between floors, she flipped the switch. "First, are Julia and Mildred doing all right in my office?" He nodded. "Good," she said, nodding her head. Many times.

"Are you okay?" She stopped nodding her head and slowly shook it instead, trying not to cry. "Honey, what's wrong?" He held her as her breathing increased, worrying him that she might be in the midst of a panic attack. "You're not going to zone out on me are you?"

"It was unbelievably horrible, Jethro. I… I don't even know how it all went so wrong." She looked around, trying to catch her breath until she fell into his arms and burst into tears. He held her, trying not to freak out about what could have happened to make his wife, normally made of steel, crumble like a house of cards before his eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: It was lovely getting a review from Jenny Shepard. But you weren't logged in so I wasn't able to thank you with a private message. Thanks for the kind words! And thanks to everyone else who is still keeping up with this story! You guys are very much appreciated.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

After a couple of minutes, Jenny calmed down in her husband's arms - her head nestled against his chest as she sat in his lap in the elevator. "Talk to me, Jen. What happened?"

She accepted his comfort as he rubbed her back. She looked into his concerned eyes. "It was… horrible. I was crying, Vivienne was crying – Sam was a mess."

He took at her pained expression but didn't understand. "Why?"

"He was begging his mom to let him stay. Of course he couldn't so he asked through his tears if she still loved him. His pain was so raw, so heartbreaking."

He closed his eyes - disturbed by the picture she painted. "I'm so sorry that happened."

Jenny bit her lower lip, shaking her head. "And then any progress he and I made disappeared. He wouldn't come near me, refused to listen – it was ugly. I had to ask Melvin to pick him up and carry him screaming out of the hospital because I was late for my lunch meeting with SecNav. Which reminds me, I don't have time for this. I… I have to…"

"No," he insisted. "You're cancelling lunch. You can't go meet him while you're like this."

She stood up, brushing herself off. "I am so far behind in everything I'm supposed to be doing, I can't _not_ show up to this."

Gibbs saw her looking like she was about to lose it again so he quickly stood up and took her into his arms. He flipped the switch, pressing the button for her floor. "No. You and I are going to talk. This has really done a number on you." When she started to resist, he placed his finger over her lips. "Forget it."

When the elevator arrived on her floor, he put his arm around her shoulder and walked her towards her office. As they approached Cynthia, he said, "Please call SecNav and reschedule."

She glanced at her boss who seemed unable to confirm or deny, so she looked back at Gibbs with worry as she nodded.

Once in the office, Jenny went straight for Julia, holding the baby to her chest. She didn't even care that she was getting drooled on. She just needed the magic her daughter was able to give her.

Gibbs motioned for Mildred to leave them. She also looked at Jenny with worry but exited silently. He followed the nanny to the door and locked it behind her. When he turned back to his wife, she was sitting on the couch feeding Julia as tears welled up in her eyes. He took a seat next to them, placed an arm around her waist and kissed her temple.

Jenny leaned her head against his shoulder, both silently agreeing to table the discussion until their daughter was fed.

Gibbs realized he needed to do something to shake Jenny out of her sadness, if only while she was nursing. "Clear your mind."

"Easier said than done…"

"Shhh, I wasn't done." He saw her manage a small smile. "Think back to Jamaica. It's late evening, and we're in the Jacuzzi holding each other."

"Should you really be putting my mind _there_? I thought we usually try to avoid sexual thoughts while nursing."

He moved his hand into her hair, rubbing her neck with his fingers. "Wasn't my intention. Not my fault if your mind goes to the gutter."

She laughed a little. "Fine, what were you trying to conjure up?"

"A time you were happy, feeling complete and totally relaxed. Me holding you, keeping you safe."

She closed her eyes. "Mhmmm. It's working."

"Hold on to that. Hold on to how in love with you I am," he said as he kissed her head. "Now just stay in that moment."

"No. I switched to the beach, the two of us playing in the water with Julia."

Gibbs smiled. "That works too." While she closed her eyes, he kept an eye on Julia - caressing her head, touching her cheek and massaging her little feet. When he looked at his daughter, his heart was so filled with love and fierce protectiveness. Their bond was very intense considering how much they'd been through from conception until this moment. He knew she was a part of him, his soul. There were times when she'd wrap her hand around his finger, and he didn't know where she ended and he began. So confident in their connection, taking care of her needs had become second nature. He thought about Sam and wondered if he was a bad father for not instantly feeling that same bond with him. But he didn't. And it disturbed him… almost as much as the fact that Tony _did_ seem to have that bond with him and at times Jenny too. He wasn't sure he could share those doubts with the woman he loved. He feared she'd think less of him and _that_ he couldn't handle.

In the bullpen, one very special agent was trying to comfort an upset and angry young boy who was sitting on his desk, looking at him very earnestly. "She's mean, Tony. I want to stay with Mommy but scary man took me away."

"Scary man?"

Ziva, who couldn't help but overhear, chimed in. "He must mean Melvin or Henry."

"Is Ziva right? Do you mean one of Jenny's bodyguards?" Sam nodded. "Were you not listening to her?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at the boy.

He sniffled and widened his eyes at the older man. "I want Mommy. Why can't I stay with her?"

Tony sighed helplessly, wishing he could make his mentor's son feel better about things. He really wanted to fix this for Gibbs and Jenny, prove himself to the Boss. "Sam, I know you miss your mommy. But she has a big job ahead of her – she has to get all better so she needs to concentrate on that."

"I can help!"

"I know you can, buddy, but you're not allowed to live at the hospital with her. That's why she wants your dad, Gibbs, to take care of you. He and Jenny are only trying to do what's best for you so that your mom won't have to worry. Does that make any sense?"

He frowned, shaking his head.

McGee saw Tony struggling and came over. "Sam, your mommy loves you so much, that's why she wants you to stay with Gibbs and Jenny. If you stayed with her, who would read to you? Who would feed you? She can't do that right now."

"I gon't care! I want to stay with Mommy," he cried, getting more upset.

Ducky overheard this last part as he walked into the bullpen. "Samuel, it's just not allowed. You are a very lucky little boy to have people like your father and Jenny taking care of you."

"He's not my gaddy!" he said, his sadness turning to anger.

Ducky sighed. "Oh dear."

"Tony, if I can't be with Mommy, why can't I live with you?"

"Because whether you like it or not, Gibbs _is _your dad. And he wants to take care of you."

"All of you are mean!" Sam got down off the desk and sat down on the comforter that was still by Tony's desk. He laid down, hugged Simon and began to cry.

The adults looked at each other - feeling helpless.

Back upstairs, Gibbs was putting Julia down in her playpen. He then rejoined Jenny on the couch, taking her into his arms. "I can't imagine how hard that was. But you seem to have really internalized it. You okay?"

She leaned away from him, confused. "What do you mean by that?"

"Is there something else going on?"

"You don't think watching your son go through hell was enough of a reason for me to be upset?"

"Not what I mean," he said, looking at her sternly. "Think about it, Jen. What was going through your head?"

Jenny could tell he meant well. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to think back to what was going on. "I empathized with Vivienne. I kept putting myself in her position, thinking how I'd feel if that was Julia talking and I was the one in the hospital bed. It would kill me, Jethro."

He sighed as he closed his eyes, holding her closely to him. "I know."

"We have to do whatever we can to help her and Sam through this," she said, sounding almost desperate.

Gibbs nodded, concerned. "We will." He thought about Mike's words. "Jenny, we haven't discussed how you feel about all of this." He could feel her tense up in his grasp.

"You haven't said how you feel either." She looked at her watch. "Crap, I'm late for my lunch with SecNav. Melvin and Henry are probably wondering where I am."

She started to get up but he pulled her back down. "I told Cynthia to reschedule for you. Don't you remember?"

She shot him an angry look. "Why'd you do that? You want me to lose my job?"

He was taken aback by her anger. His concern was evident. "You know I don't. But you were in no condition to speak with him – and the fact that you don't remember proves I'm right!"

Jenny had many different thoughts going through her head but she chose one and looked at him blankly. "You did?" She shook her head. "Where was I?"

"Have you ever zoned out while walking? We were on our way in here, and I said it as we passed Cynthia's desk."

Jenny let her head fall into her hands. "I don't know," she said, breathing heavily. "Maybe I am overwhelmed. Doesn't matter. I just got back from a two week break – it's not like he's going to allow me another." She stood up and grabbed a towel to blot out where Julia slobbered on her blouse. "So I need to do what I've always done – compartmentalize my feelings and my thoughts. Then I put it out of my mind and function like someone in my position is supposed to do. End of story."

Gibbs frowned. "Until you have a breakdown. That's no way to live."

She threw the towel on the ground by his feet. "Don't push me, Jethro." She turned her back on him, her head falling backwards as she took a deep breath, trying to gather her strength. It wasn't long before she felt his hands on her shoulders. His silence as he squeezed her arms, pulling her back against him was more unnerving than anything he could have said.

Gibbs wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head. "Do you want me to go first?" he whispered. She nodded her head but continued to keep her back to him. He rested his chin in the crook of her neck. "I'm scared. I'm scared I'll forever be Mr. Dad to him."

Jenny gently turned around placing her hands on his chest. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not the dad he wants. Hell, he'd rather be with my senior field agent, who seems to understand him better than I do."

She lifted her hand to gently caress his face. "It won't always be like that."

"I don't get it, Jenny. Every other child I've interacted with has liked me. I usually get along better with kids than adults. But my own? Can't stand to be around me."

She sighed. "It'll be easier this weekend when you can spend some quality time with him."

He grimaced. "Totally forgot to tell you. Dad's coming up this weekend to meet Sam."

Jenny narrowed her eyes. "So soon? Do you think that's a good idea? _You_ haven't bonded with him yet. My progress with him was completely blown to hell today. Honestly?"

He was a bit annoyed. "You want me to tell him to stay home?"

She sighed and walked away from him towards her desk, leaning against it. "No." Jenny felt cornered and didn't see a way out. They needed time together as a family. Work was bad enough but the weekend was going to be their first real shot and now they wouldn't even have that.

Gibbs could tell she was upset or mad but he didn't want to break his father's heart. He realized he still hadn't heard how she felt. "So what are your thoughts on Sam dropping into our lives?"

She sucked in her breath, put a smile on her face and turned around. "I support you, you know that. He's already got a hold of my heart."

Gibbs eyed her carefully. Normally, he wouldn't push Jenny, figuring she'd tell him if she wanted to but his gut said he needed to ask her and she needed to say it. "I do know. But that's not telling me how you felt when you realized he's my son."

She felt like she was under a microscope, her every move being analyzed. There was no escape. "You sure? You know the saying… be careful what you ask for."

"Wish for."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. You sure?"

He put his hands on her arms, not letting her escape. "I can handle it." He did a quick nod. "Talk."

They locked eyes, which caused her breathing to increase as she weighed the pros and cons of opening up.

"Stop it," he complained. "I can see you trying to think your way out of this. Just tell me."

She threw up her hands, allowing the dam to burst. "I can't help but wonder if there are any more kids out there! Hey - maybe you can find enough to form your own baseball team. Team Gibbs!" she said in a shrill voice. She shook her head angrily. "Do you have something against birth control?" Her voice was low but it was a vicious tone as she poked him in his chest. She saw him wince so she stepped back, a little crack in her voice. "I thought it was just with me, because you really wanted, either subconsciously or whatever, a baby with me but you'll do it even with women you're barely seeing! I guess it's a good thing law enforcement gets checked for STDs."

He went to hold her, and she pushed him away.

"Damn it, Jethro, why'd you make me say this out loud? God…" she said, putting her hands up to cover her face. "Just don't."

Gibbs put his arms around her, not letting her push him away this time. "You _are_ special. I don't know what happened. She said it was taken care of."

"Condoms! You need to worry about more than birth control in this day and age. But no, you don't like them, I sure as hell know that." She expected to see anger in his eyes but he was listening, his face unreadable.

"Anything else?" he shrugged.

"I feel horrible! There's a sweet little boy totally confused, his life turned completely upside down - and I'm a selfish bitch because I loved the fact that despite three ex-wives, I was the one to give you a child. Well, so did your casual gal pal. Maybe you should call every woman you've slept with and just double check, you know?"

He sighed, scrubbing his hand down his face.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I loved our life. But now, kiss sex as we knew it goodbye. So much for having another year or two. We got lucky this morning. I don't see locking doors being a real option – it only worked because Sam stayed asleep. You can bet next time he'll be banging on the door insisting we let him in. One more thing – another reason you won't be getting it anywhere near as often - if you thought I was exhausted before…"

"I know," he sighed.

"We were getting in a groove. I was slowly getting used to motherhood and trying to keep up with Julia's growth. I barely stay ahead of her with the books, knowing what to expect and do. But a 4-year-old? I'm totally out of my element." She saw him smile, and it made her mad. "What?"

"You only think you're out of your element. You've been amazing."

Jenny frowned. "Stop it."

He hugged her tightly against him and whispered in her ear. "I want to hear it all. Good or bad – thank you for not shutting me out."

She leaned her head against him. "I'm scared, Jethro. I don't want to lose us."

"Never happen," he said, a bit more confidently than he felt - but he knew he needed to be strong for her. Deep down, he understood it was a lot to ask of her to help him with Sam and a part of him worried she could think he was no longer worth the effort.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thanks for your continued support!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs was still holding Jenny, hugging her tightly against him. "I should probably get going," he whispered as he rubbed her back. "I have lunch plans with Fornell, and I plan to introduce him to Sam."

She leaned back to look at him. "Good, so you've got lunch covered?" He nodded. "I'm going to suggest something, and I don't want you to jump down my throat."

He narrowed his eyes, trying to prepare himself for what she was about to say. "Okay."

"Leave Tony in charge and take the rest of the day to be with Sam. Go home and get him more settled. Talk with him and ask about his family, his life. Maybe ask Noemi if you two could help her with dinner… something to make him feel a part of things."

He understood her reasoning, but he was still incredulous. "Jen, someone out there might be trying to kill him! I have to solve this case!"

"_NCIS_ has to solve the case. DiNozzo can handle it," she said quietly. "Yesterday, you were ready to drop me off and go back home. Now suddenly, they can't do it without you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you suggesting this or is this an order – and is it coming from my wife or my boss?" he asked through clenched teeth.

She took a deep breath before meeting his eyes. "Take your pick. One, the other, all of the above - whatever. I think Sam really needs you. And for the moment, unlike me – your job isn't in jeopardy. So instead of fighting, say thank you and go."

While he wanted to argue, he decided against it because he could tell it meant a lot to his wife. He considered her words. "You really that worried your job's in jeopardy?"

"I'm so overwhelmed right now, I'm not even sure I care."

"Oh you care," he said, kissing her lightly on the lips. "I'll go."

"Thank you," she said, managing a small smile. She started to walk around her desk but he grabbed her arm. "What?"

"Kiss goodbye?" He watched as she smiled and nodded. They slowly wrapped their arms around each other as their lips met tentatively - at first. It wasn't long before Gibbs deepened their kiss, his one hand fisting into her hair as the other one traveled downward, pushing her ass against him.

She gave in for a few moments before she pushed him away, panting. "Uh no. This office will not be doubling as a place for booty calls." She then worked to undo the damage he did to her hair, shooting him an annoyed look.

"Booty calls?" he laughed. "Could've been fun," he teased as he unlocked the door.

After he left, Jenny pressed her intercom. "Cynthia, can you get me Assistant Director Mann on the phone?"

Gibbs headed down the stairs and walked around to DiNozzo's desk. He found him and the rest of the team standing around helplessly watching Sam cry. Any resentment he may have felt about Jenny sending them home dissipated immediately and was replaced with understanding and sympathy. He bent down on one knee and leaned over. "Sam, come here." He gently placed his hands under Sam's arms and lifted the boy against his chest, his little head resting on his shoulder.

Sam was too exhausted from crying to put up a fight and just lay there whimpering.

Tony looked at them. "Boss, I can explain."

Gibbs sighed as he stood up carefully. "It's okay. We're leaving for the day." He saw the surprise on their faces. He looked at Tony and nodded. "You're in charge. Call me with updates. I _want_ progress on this."

Ziva, Tony and McGee all nodded, adding they would. They watched until the elevator doors closed.

McGee glanced at Tony. "Looks like Gibbs is mellowing towards you."

Tony looked down at where Sam had been laying and then back up at the other two team members. "He's counting on us to help Sam. I don't know about you two, but I don't want to let him down."

In the Director's office, Jenny was finishing up the business part of her call with Holly, having informed her that she may need her to handle more of the ops.

"That's the fun part anyway, so don't worry. I'll take them off your hands. How are things going with Sam?"

Jenny sighed. "Up and down, which is why I need your help. I'm a bit overwhelmed, and I don't want to let him or Julia down."

"I understand. Just tell me what you need from me, and I'll do it. I only have one favor to ask." Holly glanced over at her calendar.

"Name it."

"Not this weekend, but the next – could the emergency calls go to you?"

Jenny smiled. "Least I can do. Fun plans?"

"Ryan's flying out for the weekend – our first one just the two of us."

Jenny's eyes widened. "Wow! So things progressed nicely, I take it, while you were both in D.C. that week?"

"Yes, you could say that."

"You sound happy," Jenny said, a little envy in her voice. "Enjoy this time in the relationship - when it's all new and romantic."

"I will do my best, Director."

"I'm sure you will," smirked Jenny.

At the restaurant, Gibbs guided Sam over to the booth where Fornell was sitting. He smiled at the surprise on his friend's face.

"Recruiting new agents awfully young, aren't you, Jethro?"

Gibbs grinned. He watched as a waitress came over with a booster seat and chair. He lifted Sam up and put him in it before he slipped into the seat across from his friend. "Thank you," he said to the waitress. She reached into her pocket, took out a little box of crayons and handed them to Sam.

"Thank you." The boy then immediately went to work coloring the placemat.

She nodded warmly and walked away.

"Well?"

"Sam, I want you to meet a very good friend of mine, Tobias Fornell." He then looked at the FBI agent and smiled. "Sam… is my son."

Fornell's mouth dropped, and he looked at Gibbs, completely confused. "I've obviously missed a few chapters of your life. Who's his mom?"

"Don't think you ever met her. Vivienne?"

He shook his head. "I'm guessing I don't have to ask what she looks like," he smirked.

Gibbs shot him a look. He then glanced at Sam, relieved to see he was into his coloring. "She and her husband were caught in a car bombing. Both are in the hospital."

"Bad?" Gibbs nodded. "So you found out inadvertently. That's rough." He looked over at Sam. "He's got your hair color – at least before you got old."

Gibbs snorted.

"Looks like your eyes too. How's it feel? Better yet, how's your other half taking it?"

He sighed, relieved to be interrupted by the waitress there to take their orders.

Back at NCIS, Jenny was on the phone with SecNav. "I still can't believe you blackmailed my husband into taking two agents on our honeymoon."

"Had to be done, Shepard. Did you have a good time? Well rested?"

Jenny rolled her eyes as she swiveled her chair around to face the window. "I had a great time, but I did come home to quite a shock. Something I feel you should know about."

He put his pen down and gave her his full attention. "What is it?"

"Have you heard anything about the Summers case – a couple involved in a car bombing, husband worked on base?"

"Vague details from your Assistant Director. Hadn't heard it'd been solved."

She took a deep breath. "It hasn't. But the young boy involved, Sam… well it turns out he's Jethro's son."

"Oh boy."

Jenny nodded. "Literally."

Back at the restaurant, the food and drinks had just been delivered. Sam eyed his Coke and chicken fingers excitedly. He then looked up at Gibbs. "Can I use my fingers?" Gibbs nodded. "Thank you!"

Fornell narrowed his eyes. "Polite kid. Guess that's not inherited," he said pointedly. "Don't glare at me, Jethro. You forget I know you. OK, so you've avoided my question long enough."

Gibbs took a sip of his beer. "And which question would that be?" He saw his friend was annoyed, so he gave in. "Fine. It's a shock. And an adjustment… for all of us."

"Guessing the Director was a bit thrown."

"Yeah," he said, scrubbing his hand down his face. "But she's been incredible. Better than I'd be if the roles were reversed."

"That doesn't shock me."

Both men looked over at Sam when they heard him nearing the end of his drink, making a slurping sound. His eyes widened as he smiled. "That was yum! Mommy never lets me have soga."

Fornell tried not to laugh. "Uh oh."

Gibbs rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Oops."

Sam looked at them both and smiled… until he burped really loud, sending him off into a fit of giggles.

Fornell laughed. "Now _that_, I bet, is hereditary."

Gibbs glared at him.

Back at NCIS, Jenny was still on the phone with her boss. "So you see, sir, I'm being pulled in several directions. I've already spoken with Holly about helping me out on ops. I'm asking for your patience, but if you feel I'm not up to the task, I'd—"

"Stop it, Jenny," he said over her. "No one knows better than I how much you have had to give up because I asked you to come back to work immediately."

Jenny tried to keep a lid on her emotions, but his understanding took her by surprise.

"It'd be easier if you went home earlier than came in later, simply because Holly would be able to pick up the slack in the later hours. So if you'd like to cut down to eight-hour days, would that help relieve some of the stress you're under?

Jenny was overwhelmed. "That would help a great deal, sir. I really don't know what to say."

"I'm also going to give some thought to restructuring. I know what your strengths are, what Holly's are and maybe we could even pull Hetty into some of this. You're too good to lose."

Jenny closed her eyes, hardly believing what she was hearing. "Thank you," was all she could manage.

Several hours later at home, Gibbs and Sam were helping Noemi out by making a salad together at the kitchen table. Things had finally calmed down after Sam's initial disappointment over his mother being asleep when they called. Now he was doing his best to tear up lettuce and throw it in the big wooden bowl. He made it… most of the time. Every time he missed, he'd giggle.

Gibbs tried not to laugh. He pointed into the bowl. "This is your goal, Sam. Try to get the pieces in _here_."

Both males turned when they heard an excited noise coming from the doorway. Jenny was holding a happy Julia in her arms.

Gibbs smiled. "Look who's home early. The ladies of the house have arrived." He walked over to them, not seeing the disappointed look on Sam's face. He took Julia into his arms and kissed his wife.

"SecNav said I could cut down to eight hours a day. So here we are," she said, squeezing his arm. She walked over to Sam and inspected the salad. "You're doing a great job with the lettuce." She noticed a strange look on his face, but she tried to not let it get to her. "How was your day? Did you have a nice lunch?"

"I guess."

Jenny turned to look at her husband, shooting him a confused look. He nodded and walked over to Sam, still holding Julia. "Something wrong?"

Sam looked from him, to the baby and then over to Jenny before sticking his lower lip out. They watched helplessly as Sam ignored them and climbed down off his chair. He headed out of the room but stopped when he ran into the cat. "Mikey!"

Jenny managed a small smile. "I'm glad you introduced them. Mikey can be a good friend to him… listen to him without judgment."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes. "But I didn't." He adjusted Julia in his arms. "Sam, when did you meet Mikey?"

"At Abby's lab," he said as he tried to pet the cat. Unfortunately, Mikey was having none of it and quickly ran off.

Jenny caught up to the cat and brought him back for Sam, bending down on one knee so he could get a better look. "Do you know how to pet him softly?"

He looked at her, unsure if he wanted to accept her help. But Mikey being so close that he could touch him was irresistible. He allowed Jenny to take his hand and slowly pet the cat's fur, making Sam smile.

Jenny relaxed, her relief evident. She glanced over at her husband, who nodded his approval.

A couple of hours later, it was time for Julia's last feeding and Sam's bedtime. Jenny settled into the rocking chair in the nursery and asked Sam to pick out a story. While he did that, she got Julia situated nursing and relaxed. Sam came back with the book he wanted. She patted her lap, indicating she wanted him to sit there. He handed it to her and climbed up. She handed it back to him. "I'll read if you hold it and turn the pages."

Sam nodded and did just that. Gibbs, who was cleaning up the bathroom after having given his son a bath, happened by the doorway. He leaned against the door jam and watched as Jenny read to both kids. He was so grateful Sam was letting her, snuggled in the crook of her arm. He looked at the rocking chair he made, holding his entire world, and genuinely smiled.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: This has a little higher rating than normal - just an FYI to those who are squeamish over such things. I have a busy weekend but will try to get another chapter up on Sunday but no promises. Thanks again to all who leave a review – it means a lot.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

The shrill sound of the alarm blared until Jenny pounded it with her hand. She squinted, trying to make out the time – 0230 – and groaned. She turned over and shook her husband.

"I'll take out the trash later," he mumbled, still half asleep.

Jenny frowned. "This was your bright idea, so you'd better wake up," she whispered, before grabbing him down below to speed up the process.

He woke with a start. "I'm up."

Jenny sighed, exhausted. "You still want to do this?"

He scrubbed his hand down his face. "Yeah, I'm up." He glanced over at her. "You still want to do this?"

"I never said I _wanted_ to do this. I agreed to do it as a reward for not arguing with me yesterday."

"You don't want to, Jen?"

She regretted her words after hearing the hurt in his voice. "I'm tired, that's all I meant." Even in the dark she could see his puppy dog eyes. "Make me want to, Jethro."

"Make you?"

"Get me in the mood. Yeah, that's right. I mean foreplay."

He groaned. "I'm half asleep."

"Fine. I'll just lay here then. Do me," she yawned.

He growled. "This wasn't how it was supposed to be."

"Jethro, make up your mind. Either you just want servicing, and I'll lay here. Or, if you want me into it, help – act like you _want_ me into it. Is that so much to ask?"

"No, I'm just tired too." He fell back against his pillow. "We can't have woken up this early for nothing."

Jenny could already feel herself falling back to sleep. "You'd better hurry. Your window is quickly closing. Feel me up, anything."

Gibbs smiled. "Oh, if you insist." He turned on his side and scooped her towards him so he could spoon her. He started kissing behind her ear, working his way down to her neck as his hands traveled under her T-shirt.

Jenny smiled. "Now that's a good start," she moaned. When he tried to pull her shirt over her head, she stopped him. "Just lift it up. We may get interrupted."

"Pessimist. Won't happen." He lifted it up and moved his mouth downward. He loved the feel of her fingers threading into his hair as he rubbed his face against her breasts. "Shhh, stop moaning. We have to be quiet."

"Fine," she said, biting her lip. She helped out by moving her shorts to just below her knees. "That's as far as they're going. Make do."

He grinned, taking that as an invitation for foreplay to end, so he lowered his sweats and got on top of her. Both smiled with relief after he entered her, happy to be like this – their favorite way of connecting back with each other. Gibbs kissed her deeply as their bodies moved together.

She put her hands across his back, hugging him tightly to her. She loved the feel of his skin, the way his back muscles moved as he made love to her.

He picked up the pace, nearing the finish line – both of them trying their best to not make any sounds but their breathing was labored.

"Gibbs, why are you squishing Genny?"

Jenny's eyes widened as she squealed, a bit horrified to make out the little head that was at eye level with her. She was appalled that Jethro didn't seem to hear him and quickly pushed him off of her. She then lowered her shirt and raised her shorts. "I'm okay, Sam," she said, a bit out of breath as she leaned on her elbow to face him. "Did you have a nightmare?"

A very pained Gibbs rolled over and buried his face in his pillow, inwardly cursing his being tossed aside at a very inopportune moment. He very carefully pulled up his sweats, trying to catch his breath.

"It was scary, Genny. And Simon's still gone."

She sat up in bed and reached for his hand. "We'll look for him some more tomorrow. How about if I walk you back to your room and sit with you until you fall asleep? Would that be all right?" He nodded his head. "While we're doing that, I'm thinking Daddy will have to um… take care of himself." Jenny couldn't really see his face but she had a feeling her husband was probably glaring at her, especially if his growl was any indication.

When Jenny still hadn't returned after 20 minutes, Gibbs went looking for her. He smiled when he found her asleep, half of her sitting in a chair - with the other half sharing Sam's pillow. He gently lifted her off the bed and over his shoulder. When they returned to their room, he laid her down on the bed and crawled under the covers with her.

It felt like only a few minutes had passed but actually a few hours later, the alarm on his side of the bed went off. "Damn it," he mumbled as he shut it off. He nuzzled his wife, whispering into her hair, "Five more minutes." His hands traveled under her shirt while his mouth and tongue made their way to her neck.

Jenny was half awake but could feel she was being molested. "What are you doing?" she whined, completely exhausted.

"I got cheated last night."

She tried to relax, his lips and hands on her body feeling so good. Then Julia started crying, which made Sam start yelling for her to stop. Both adults groaned, realizing their day was starting whether they liked it or not.

A couple of hours later, Gibbs, carrying coffee, and Sam, carrying hot chocolate, entered the bullpen. Tony looked up from his desk and smiled at the visual. The young boy headed straight for the very special agent. "Tony, where's my bear? Is Simon with you?" he asked, a little bit of whimpering in his voice.

Tony and Ziva shared a look. He heard his computer beep with an instant message from her. "You predicted this!" He wanted to laugh but he kept a straight face, reaching into his drawer. "Here you go. He was on the blanket when you guys left yesterday. I made sure to take good care of him."

Sam's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Tony!"

Gibbs nodded his gratitude. "Where are we on the case?"

Tony, Ziva and McGee immediately stood up and joined their boss at the plasma - rattling off the latest details.

Upstairs in the Director's office, Jenny was trying to comfort a fussy Julia, who was in pain due to teething. "I really should buy a rubber suit," she said, looking down at the soaking mess that was now her blouse. "Or maybe I need to store even more clothes here." She smiled and kissed her daughter's head, feeling horrible as she watched her baby pull at her own ears. "There, there, sweet girl. I know it hurts."

Mildred walked over with a washcloth. "Here, this was in the fridge. It should help with the pain and keep her occupied."

"Thank you." Jenny walked back over to her desk and sat down, handing Julia the cloth. "There you go," she smiled. "If that doesn't work, it's going to be bourbon for both of us."

Milded snorted as she returned to her book.

A relieved Jenny noticed it seemed to calm her down. She caressed her head before she opened up a case file on her desk. "Mommy loves you so much, Julia," she whispered.

Down in Abby's lab, Gibbs entered, determined to find out the latest information she had for him. When the Goth spotted him, she squealed with delight. "Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs," she said as she hugged him fiercely. "So great having you back." He motioned to his right with a nod. She looked around him. "Sam!"

As she took the youngster into a giant hug, Gibbs smiled. "What'cha got for me, Abs?"

She grabbed the remote and lowered the music. "Nothing you're going to like. In fact…" Abby stopped talking and looked down at Sam's eager face. "Umm…" she said, motioning downward, "probably nothing he should really... you know."

Gibbs nodded. "Sam, have you met Bert the hippo in the other room?"

"Yep."

Abby and Gibbs grinned knowingly at each other. She took his hand, "Come with me, Mini Gibbs, and let's get you… occupied," she smiled to herself as she set him up with Bert. She then put on some music – albeit a bit softer than usual and headed back to speak with Gibbs privately.

Sam squeezed Bert a few times and giggled but was hardly entertained for long. He started walking around the back room. Seeing Abby's computer, he climbed up into her chair and started playing with the keyboard.

Abby was almost done filling in Gibbs when she heard strange noises from the other room. She maneuvered around him to look. "Oh no, Sammmmm!" she yelled as she ran towards him, scaring the boy a little when she pushed the chair out of the way so she could do damage control.

Gibbs joined them, quickly lifting Sam out of the chair and into his arms. "Gotta be careful. Abby's work is very important."

"Put me gown," he pouted. Gibbs sighed and did as he asked.

Abby waved him over. "Sam, I'm sorry I kinda yelled. You scared me but everything looks to be okay. If you ever want to play on my computer again, just ask and I'll totally hook you up with some awesome game to play, okay?"

He went behind Gibbs' leg. After a few seconds, he peered around it at Abby and nodded.

"Still friends?" she smiled, lifting her hand for a high five.

He jumped up and slapped her hand.

"Thanks Abs." He kissed her on the cheek before heading out. "Let's go see Jenny and Julia, Sam."

Abby sighed in relief as she watched them walk towards the elevator. "You're okay," she said, trying to calm down her computer… and herself.

Gibbs and Sam walked into Cynthia's office. Knowing how much his son enjoyed his wife's assistant, he left them to talk while he went inside. He smiled at the sight before him; Jenny was allowing Julia, who was sitting on her lap, to chew on her pinky finger as she read case files. "I take it the tooth hasn't come in," he teased, the corners of his mouth curving upward.

She put the file down and removed her glasses. "Not yet, so my finger's still safe. Where's the monkey?"

Gibbs narrowed his eyes. "Monkey?"

Jenny laughed. "Oh right, you haven't seen it. Is Sam with Cynthia?"

He nodded. "Total flirt."

"He has excellent taste," she smiled.

"I need to see Vivienne, but I'm not sure how I feel about taking him. I'm afraid of another scene like you had. Might be easier to have them talk on the phone. Can I leave him with you and call if she's able to talk?"

Jenny stood up with Julia and walked towards him. "Of course."

Gibbs put his arms around them, leaning over to kiss his daughter on her head.

Sam walked in and frowned. He stomped his foot to get their attention.

Jenny laughed. "Well hello there, monkey. Hey Sam, why don't we show Gibbs what happens with 'flip.' Jethro, pick him up and hold on very tight to his legs. That's it, really press your arms against them." She stood back out of the way.

"Flip," yelled Sam, as he flung his head backwards, shocking Gibbs.

"You could have warned me." But he smiled at the way Jenny laughed and the fits of giggles coming from Sam. He lowered the boy a little bit more so his hands were on the ground and then flipped him over.

He immediately got to his feet and lifted his arms. "Again!" he giggled.

Gibbs laughed. "OK, one more time. And then I need you to go downstairs, get your stuff and come back up here while I go out for a while. Agreed?"

He nodded eagerly. After another round of flip fun, Sam headed downstairs. Jenny put Julia down by her floor gym to be supervised by Mildred. She then nodded for Gibbs to follow her as she walked into the bathroom to change her blouse. "Are you going to ask Vivienne about his schedule? Don't forget you have to meet with the lawyer, probably need to get documents and figure out custody issues." She looked over at him as she was about to button up the clean blouse. She could tell he wasn't listening but rather staring at her chest instead. "Oh come on, already. It's nothing you haven't seen a million times."

He slipped his arms around her waist. "Never tire of that view," he said and then nuzzled her neck.

She blushed, kissing him gently on the temple. "You don't want him catching us again, do you?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes as she finished buttoning up. "That was incredibly painful this morning."

"And embarrassing. At least he has no idea what was going on, but we need to be more careful."

Downstairs, Sam was gathering up his things.

Tony looked over at him. "What's going on, Sam?"

The young boy put this backpack on and walked over to his friend. "I have to sit in Genny's office."

Ziva sat on the edge of Tony's desk. "That should be fun."

"I guess," sighed Sam.

Tony looked at Ziva and back at Sam. "Everything okay, buddy? Rough night?"

"Another nightmare."

Tony rubbed his arm. "Sorry to hear that. What'd you do?"

"I went to see Genny. Gibbs was squishing her but she saig she was okay."

Ziva narrowed her eyes and looked at Tony, who was also confused. "Sam," she began. "What do you mean he was squishing her?"

"He was sleeping on her, but not sleeping cause they were moving a lot and making funny noises."

Ziva's eyes widened. "Oh God. Oh, um, I am sure it was okay."

Tony could barely keep a straight face. "You'd better get upstairs."

"Okay. See you later!"

McGee stood up and walked over to them, incredulous. "Did he just say what I think he said?"

Ziva motioned with her finger to be quiet for a second. She and Tony both stood up and watched until they could see that Sam was safely behind Cynthia's door before they looked at Tim and then at each other and burst out laughing.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thanks for your patience. And thanks again to all who leave feedback – always fun to hear your thoughts.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs and Jenny were still in her bathroom, taking a moment just to hold each other. She smiled, feeling relaxed in his arms. "You give the best hugs."

"Better than Abby?" he teased.

"I can breathe when you hug me." She felt him vibrate against her. "Is that your phone or are you really enjoying this?" she smirked.

He rolled his eyes, amused, as he reached into his pocket. "Yeah Gibbs."

She watched as his mood turned serious, to the point she felt him almost shaking against her. Her hand was resting on his chest, and she could feel his breathing speed up and heart rate increase. Her eyes widened as the feeling in her gut told her something was very, very wrong.

His face paled as he thanked the person on the other end of the line, hung up and dropped his phone. Gibbs looked at Jenny, stricken. "She died an hour ago," he whispered, his face with a haunted expression – obviously in shock.

"Oh God," Jenny cried out before reeling in the volume of her voice. Her breathing intensified, as the tears came streaming down her face. "Oh my God."

On the couch, Mildred heard the phone crash and Jenny's cries. She had no idea what was going on, but she could tell it wasn't good. She scooped up Julia onto her hip and then reached her hand down for Sam, who had just entered the office. "We're going to leave you two alone and go for a walk," she warned.

"Thanks," managed Gibbs, grateful to the nanny for her quick action. He wrapped is arms around Jenny, holding her tight as she cried for the woman she barely knew and the son they both loved. "How do I break his heart?"

"I don't understand. I thought she was getting better?"

He looked down into Jenny's questioning eyes, moist with tears. "The doctor said something about an infection? I don't know."

She leaned her forehead against his chest, breathing heavily. "I… I can't believe this, Jethro." She looked up, searching his eyes for comfort. "How in the world will we make him understand this? I don't even understand it."

"Together," he said. "Please tell me you'll help me tell him. I don't think I could do this without you."

She threw her arms around and held on tight. "Of course I will. Maybe Mildred has some thoughts. And I have another idea… that you might not like."

"DiNozzo?" She nodded. Gibbs held her tightly against him. He absently threaded his fingers through her hair and rubbed her back. "Okay," he whispered finally.

"Do you want me to call him up here?"

He sighed. "Not yet. I need you to hold me a bit longer," he whispered, squeezing her tightly against him. "Jen, if anything happened to you…" he broke off, too choked up to finish his thought - burying his face in her hair.

She threaded her fingers through his hair and buried her face in the crook of his neck. "I know. I feel the same way." She then sucked in her breath after another realization. "Her poor husband. This is all so horrible."

He took her face in his hands, looking deeply into her green eyes. "Please tell me you know how much I love you, that you're _everything_."

She nodded her head furiously as she stared just as fiercely into his blue eyes. "And you're my _everything_. I love you."

They crushed their lips into each other, needing to feel alive, to connect. Gibbs could feel his wife's fresh tears on his face. He stopped kissing her but didn't pull away, their noses rubbing against each other before their foreheads met.

Jenny leaned back, wiping away her tears. "I'll call Tony."

Gibbs nodded, allowing her to walk past him but before she had, he reached for her hand. He squeezed it briefly, lowered his head and let go.

She cleared her throat, wanting to make sure her voice was okay before she dialed his extension. She then did her best to smooth out her hair as she waited for him to pick up.

"DiNozzo."

"Tony, it's Jenny."

Gibbs flinched hearing her voice crack at the end. He went behind her and rubbed her shoulders.

Tony could tell immediately something was wrong even if she hadn't said her first name in the way she did. It was quiet – and sad. "What's happened?"

"Sam's mom just died."

He closed his eyes, the ramifications of her words obvious. He saw Ziva and McGee looking over at him, obviously alarmed. "Do you need me to do anything?"

Jenny sighed. "Could you come upstairs? Mildred will be back soon with Sam, and we _both_ would appreciate if you were here to help us break the news to him."

"I'll be there, Jenny. Thanks."

Ziva and McGee reacted to his calling the director by her first name. They immediately stood up and went to Tony's desk, waiting for him to update them.

Tony put the phone down, still in shock. It meant a lot to him that Jenny emphasized the word _both_. He understood the implications of it. But his mind was still reeling at what he knew was going to be a horrible moment in his young friend's life. He looked up at his co-workers after he made sure Sam wasn't around. "Vivienne Summers just died. This is now a murder investigation." He stood up. "I'll be in the director's office. I have a feeling Gibbs will be out of commission for the rest of the day. Tim –"

"Let Ducky and Abby know and see if she's found out any more information."

Tony nodded. "Ziva –"

"Follow up on the BOLO and then check in with Virginia PD."

"Thanks." Tony headed up the stairs and through Cynthia's office. She nodded for him to enter. He looked at Jenny and could tell she'd been crying even though she was doing her best to cover up that fact. "So we're waiting for him to return?"

Both Gibbs and Jenny nodded, looking a bit lost.

She walked over to him and touched his arm. "Could you keep Sam occupied while we talk with Mildred? We want to see if she has any advice." Tony nodded.

Gibbs took a seat on the couch and held his head in his hands.

Tony looked around. "Where's Simon? Does he have him?"

All three adults looked at each other, panicked, before searching the office top to bottom. Gibbs was on the floor, looking under Jenny's couch. She was searching Sam's knapsack while Tony was over by Julia's playpen and floor gym.

Mildred returned with the two kids. Sam, holding Simon, looked at the three adults who had yet to notice they were there - and then back at Mildred – completely confused. "What are they gooing?"

"I have no idea, Sam," she said, an eyebrow raised.

Tony, Gibbs and Jenny – all looking guilty – quickly stood up. When they saw Simon with Sam, they gave a collective sigh of relief. Tony immediately went to the boy and smiled. "Hey, buddy, let's go talk with Cynthia for a few minutes."

Sam shrugged. "Okay."

Tony closed the door behind them.

Jenny immediately reached for Julia, hugging her daughter close. Mildred looked questioningly at Gibbs.

"His mother just died," he said gruffly. "Any advice on how to break it to him?"

Mildred sank into the couch. "That poor boy."

Jenny handed Julia over to Gibbs, knowing he'd need her special brand of magic as well. She watched as he held the baby close and rubbed his nose against her head. The maternal instincts that were so strong within her now threatened to restart the tears because of the empathy she was feeling for both Sam and Vivienne. She took a deep breath, trying to hold it together.

Mildred sighed. "I only had to deal with the loss of a pet for any of the kids I've taken care of, but… I'm not sure he'll understand much at his age other than he's not able to see her. I would suggest being direct, no euphemisms."

They nodded. Gibbs put Julia down in her playpen and joined Jenny on the couch, reaching for her hand.

"Anything else?" Jenny was feeling all sorts of emotions.

"That little boy is very lucky to have you two." She saw the doubt in their eyes and understood their insecurity. "The fact that he's already staying with you will hopefully offset some of the fear about security he's likely to experience. But this is going to take a long time for him to process and understand. I really am sorry. Anything I can do to help, I hope you know I will."

Jenny nodded. "Thank you."

Mildred stood up. "I'll get him. Do you want privacy? I can take Julia for another walk."

Gibbs shook his head and motioned with his hand for her to sit back down. "Stay."

"We'd appreciate it if you would," added Jenny. "Agent DiNozzo is going to help too."

Gibbs stood up, walked to the door and motioned for Sam and Tony to come inside. He also asked Cynthia to hold all of the director's calls. All three headed for the couch. Tony sat across from them on the coffee table while Gibbs lifted Sam onto his lap, next to Jenny.

The boy looked around at all of the adults. "Am I in trouble?" he asked, his lower lip quivering.

Jenny caressed his face and shook her head. "No, Sam. You've been such a good boy."

Gibbs took a deep breath, dreading what he was about to do. "There's something we need to tell you." He waited for his son to look at him before he began. "It's about your mommy."

He smiled. "Is she all better? Do I get to go live with her now?"

Gibbs shook his head sadly. "Sam…" He looked at him and got choked up. His eyes went to Jenny, silently asking for her help.

Jenny sighed. She didn't want to be the bad guy, the one to tell him but she realized it might be for the best. She reached for his hand. "I'm afraid your mommy won't be getting any better. She… she died this morning."

He looked at her, his confusion obvious. "Okay," he said sadly.

The adults looked at each other, not sure what to think.

Sam tugged on Gibbs' blazer. "Can you take me to see her now? I want to make her feel better."

Gibbs felt horrible. "She can't feel better. She can't feel anything, Sam. She's in heaven now."

He looked at the adults. "What's heaven?"

Gibbs looked at his wife again, feeling totally inadequate. Jenny was about to take a stab at it when Mildred stepped in.

"Sam, have you ever looked at the stars in the sky?" He nodded. "When people die, like your mommy just did, they fly up to heaven and become a star. So she's up there looking down at you and protecting you."

Sam began to panic. He looked at Gibbs desperately. "Get her gown from there. I gon't want Mommy in heaven. I want her with me," he cried, tears streaming down his face. "What's going to happen to me? I want my mommy." He buried his face in his hands.

Gibbs put his arms around him. "I know you do."

Jenny leaned against her husband and put an arm around Sam as well. "Nothing is going to happen to you, Sam. Gibbs and I will continue to take care of you. We love you, honey."

"And you have friends like me, Sam," added Tony. "Me, Ziva, McGee, Cynthia and Abby – and Mildred. We're all here for you, whatever you need. And don't forget Simon."

Sam hugged his teddy bear extra close to him. "What about my gaddy? Is he going to heaven too?"

Jenny sighed as she caressed his head. "I don't know but we hope not. He's a fighter. But you know your other daddy, right here," she said, tapping on her husband's chest, "will take care of you always and will love and protect you. Me too."

He crawled off Gibbs' lap and buried his head in Tony's instead. The very special agent was shocked but lifted him onto his lap, hugging him close as he cried.

Gibbs looked at his wife, deflated. She took his hand in both of hers as they helplessly watched Tony give the comfort they both wished Sam would accept from them.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: For those who are interested, the new/last season of "In Plain Sight," the show that Mary is from, is back. Last Friday was the return; only 7 new episodes left. So bummed! Anyway, thanks to all readers – and an even bigger thanks to those leaving reviews. Much appreciated!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs draped a blanket over Sam, who was laying down on the couch after he cried himself to sleep on Tony's lap. The four adults walked over to the other side of Jenny's office to talk in whispers.

Gibbs stood behind Jenny, his arms wrapped around her. "Thank you both for your help. I…" He was too choked up to continue, shaking his head because he was at a loss for words.

Jenny rubbed his arm. "You have no idea how much it means to us to know we can lean on you both. This has been," she sighed, "unbelievable."

Tony nodded. "I wish there was more I could do for him."

Gibbs looked him in the eye. "You've done a lot already. I…" he sighed. "Thanks." He then reached out his hand.

The very special agent's eyes widened as he met his hand with his own, shaking it. "You're welcome. I guess I'll get back to work. Call if you need me."

Jenny managed a small smile. "Thanks, Tony."

Mildred looked at the couple. "Julia is napping. How about I give you both some time alone and pick up some sandwiches for everyone?"

Gibbs reached into his wallet and handed her some money. "Thanks."

Jenny nodded. "Thank you, Mildred." She waited for the nanny to close the door before turning to face Jethro, wrapping her arms around his midsection. "That was even worse than I imagined." She leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Yeah," he said, holding her close. "I need to see their family lawyer ASAP." He took out his phone and the card Tony gave him and dialed as he continued to hold Jenny. He informed the lawyer of what happened to Vivienne, and they made a plan to see each other shortly.

After he hung up, Jenny took out her phone and dialed. She saw her husband's questioning eyes. "I'm getting my lawyer to meet you over there and before you say you don't need him – they're lawyers. You need him to look out for our interests regarding custody."

Gibbs closed his eyes as she spoke, overwhelmed with gratitude to have her in his life and on his side. After she hung up, he caressed her face. "I love how you said '_our_ interests.' Smartest thing I ever did was marry you."

"Twice," she smiled. "We're partners in life, in parenting – of course it's _our_ interests."

He hugged her to him and whispered in her ear, "I know, but I was alone for so long. It takes some adjusting to realize I'm not anymore."

Jenny squeezed him tighter against her. "You know I understand exactly what you mean." She leaned back so she could look in his eyes. "Thank God you were on my plane and didn't give up on me."

He wiped away a couple of tears that fell from her eyes before capturing her lips with his own.

Jenny lost herself in his kiss, relishing the comfort she felt him giving her. She slipped her fingers into his hair, pressing him closer to her. When their lips broke apart, she looked deeply into his eyes. "I want you so badly right now, to comfort you with my body. I wish we could crawl into our bed and hide from the world."

He took her face in his hands. "Me too. Rain check?"

Her lips curved upwards as she nodded. "Absolutely."

"On the way back from the lawyer, I'll probably stop by their house and pick up more of his things."

She nodded. "That sounds like a very good idea. Do you want me to come with you?"

He took her hand in his. "I think you should stay here. Do you mind my leaving you alone to deal with him?"

"I'm not alone."

He nodded. "True."

Both turned when they heard Julia's cries. Jenny immediately went to her, scooping her up. "Shhh, baby girl." She quickly sat down on the other end of the couch from Sam, unbuttoned her blouse and adjusted her nursing bra for her daughter.

Gibbs quickly joined them after checking on Sam to make sure her cries didn't wake him. He placed his arm around his wife, both relieved. He put his other hand on her stomach, wanting to feel her skin against his own as he kissed her temple. "You have amazing reflexes."

"Just another thing being a mom helps you develop," she admitted, leaning her head against his shoulder.

He looked down at his daughter. "She's so innocent, so happy. I wish she could stay this way forever. I wish he could have."

"Me too," she whispered back to him.

They sat together quietly watching Julia nurse. Gibbs lightly massaged Jenny's neck and threaded his fingers in her hair. Her free hand sat on his thigh as she quietly hummed a lullaby.

It wasn't long before there was a knock on the door. Gibbs shielded Jenny from view as the door opened to reveal Mildred. "Just me," she whispered, noticing that Sam was still asleep. She saw Jenny was nursing and smiled. "I'm glad someone remains unaffected by all of this."

Jenny sighed. "So far, so good. I wish I could protect her from everything."

Gibbs rubbed her back. "Me too," he said, kissing his wife's head. He could tell Julia was slowing down, so he walked over to the baby's bag, grabbed a towel and prepared for his part in the process. It wasn't long before Jenny was handing her over. "Come here, Jules."

She immediately fixed herself before helping Mildred set up the coffee table with their makeshift lunch.

After burping her, Gibbs put a little medicine on Julia's gums and laid her down in her playpen. He looked at Mildred and Jenny. "Do we wake him?"

"He does need to eat, right?" asked Jenny.

Mildred nodded. "Why not wake him up gently and ask him if he wants to eat? Let him decide, and he can go back to sleep if he doesn't want to."

Gibbs thought that sounded like a good plan so he walked back to the couch and knelt down beside him. He gently rubbed his shoulder. "Sam, want to eat lunch now?"

Still groggy, the boy opened his eyes halfway and shook his head before turning over.

Gibbs sighed, obviously worried.

"We'll get him through this, Jethro."

He looked into his wife's eyes, drawing on her strength – and nodded. He picked up a sandwich. "I'll have this to go. Better head over to the lawyer."

Jenny put her sandwich down and walked him to the door. "We'll be all right. Let me know if you need anything."

He reached for her hand and gently squeezed it. "Just keep loving me."

She smiled. "_That_ request I can handle." She lifted her other hand and caressed his face. "I love you senseless," she whispered before kissing him gently on the lips.

He nodded. "Love you too."

She leaned her head against the doorframe and watched him leave, her heart aching. She turned back to her office, looking at both children – still marveling that this was her life. Jenny looked at her desk but the last thing her mind could focus on was work. She rejoined Mildred on the couch and finished her lunch.

Gibbs grabbed more coffee before facing the lawyers. His mind was reeling on the drive over. He couldn't believe all that happened in the few days since they returned from their honeymoon. He'd barely had a moment to process it, and now Vivienne was dead. He'd never loved her but she had filled a void in his life at the time that was much needed. He couldn't really fault her for thinking he wasn't father material, but it upset him greatly that after being cheated out of seeing Kelly grow up, he had now missed the first four years of another child's life. He was determined that after this meeting, he wouldn't have to worry about missing any more.

In her office, Jenny looked over at Sam, who was sleeping fitfully. "Come here, monkey," she said softly as she pulled him into her arms and lap. He nuzzled against her, trying to get comfortable. "There you go, sweet boy." She leaned over, kissed his head and used her hand to smooth back his hair away from his face. "I know you feel all alone right now but you're not. I love you, your dad loves you – we won't let anything happen to you. Julia will grow up idolizing her big brother," she said, smiling down at him. She continued to cradle him in her arms as she hummed a soothing lullaby.

Gibbs hated lawyers, and this afternoon wasn't changing his opinion. The red tape he was being forced to deal with was driving him crazy. He was grateful though that Jenny arranged for her lawyer to be there too. Vivienne's lawyer handed him the keys to the house so he could pick up more things for Sam. They spoke briefly about funeral arrangements for Vivienne, along with what both parents had as far as health insurance and a trust for their son. Gibbs brushed it aside, pointing out that he and Jenny were more than capable of providing for the young boy. Finally, he was handed Sam's birth certificate. His breath caught in his throat when he saw his name listed as father. He wasn't sure why he was surprised that Vivienne had told the truth. She obviously wasn't worried about his finding out. It just added credence to the fact that she honestly didn't think he'd care. He did his best to shove his emotions down, trying to avoid thoughts of how things could have been so different.

At the office, Jenny still had a sleeping Sam cradled in her arms. She noticed that he was beginning to wake up. "Hey there."

He rubbed his eyes, feeling a bit disoriented until he realized Jenny was holding him. At first he responded by hugging her, which she loved, holding him even more tightly to her. But then he remembered what happened earlier. Startled, he quickly wiggled out of her arms and headed for the door.

"Sam!" she called out to him, concerned. She grabbed his sandwich and headed out after him, first making sure Mildred was all set with Julia. She ignored Cynthia's questioning look, rushing out the door to find him. She looked out over the railing and watched helplessly as he ran to Tony. She went back into her office and grabbed a bottle of water. "I'll be right back. Going to see DiNozzo." Cynthia nodded.

Jenny headed downstairs. She walked over and found Sam sitting in Tony's lap, still a bit groggy. Both looked up at her as she put the water and sandwich on Tony's desk. "You forgot your lunch," she said softly.

Sam narrowed his eyes at her. "I don't want you. Go away."

Tony's face fell, especially seeing how much his words hurt her. "Apologize, Sam. That wasn't nice."

Jenny held up her hand. "It's okay. I didn't come down here to bring you back upstairs, Sam. If Tony has the time, you can stay with him for a little while."

He nodded sadly. "He can stay for a little bit. I'll make sure he eats."

"Thanks," she said before looking at Sam one last time and smiling weakly. She glanced at Ziva and Tim and saw the pity on their faces. Jenny straightened up, pushed some stray strands of hair behind her ear and headed back to her office.

Tony looked at Sam as he began eating his lunch. "Why were you so mean to Jenny? She was only trying to help."

Sam looked at his friend, his face very serious. "She acts like Mommy but she's not."

The very special agent sighed, briefly resting his head against the young boy's back. "She knows that, Sam. She just wants to help you through this."

"I move back with you, Tony. I stay there til Gaddy is all better and takes me home."

"Not gonna happen."

Tony grimaced hearing Gibbs' voice.

Sam looked up. "You're mean."

Gibbs nodded. "Guess you'd better get used to it, because you're stuck with me."


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: I want to give a special shout-out to VioletAkuamoebe03 for her guidance – and her generosity. You are awesome! And thanks to everyone for the continued support. I know things seem depressing but it's a road they must travel through to enjoy the good times. Your patience will be rewarded… as the rollercoaster continues.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

After finishing the last bite of his peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Sam begrudgingly followed Gibbs upstairs to Jenny's office. Ziva put her work down and followed them, ignoring Tony's questioning eyes as she walked past him.

Once upstairs, Cynthia stopped her. "I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to go in there right now, Ziva."

"I only want to help." Cynthia nodded and got out of the Israeli's way. She stopped at the open door and knocked lightly, alerting those inside to her presence. She saw Gibbs and Jenny standing in front of a scowling Sam. "I am sorry, but I was wondering if I could have a word with one or both of you."

Gibbs was about to have a stern talking to with Sam. "It's not the best time, Ziva."

"I know, but I think it could help."

They turned back to Sam, who had taken advantage of their being distracted to reach into his bag for his Nintendo. "We'll be right back, Sam," growled Gibbs.

Jenny looked at Mildred, who nodded that she had things under control. She then joined Gibbs on the other side of the room to speak with Ziva. "What's on your mind?"

Ziva motioned towards Sam. "Shiva."

Gibbs looked at her, confused - while Jenny nodded. "You're saying we need to go home? I think you're right."

Ziva nodded. She then looked at Gibbs. "I know you are not Jewish and neither is Sam, but the tradition of sitting Shiva after the death of a loved one helps with the grieving process. And Sam needs to grieve for his mother."

He looked from her to Sam and back at her. "What do you mean exactly?"

Ziva took a deep breath before continuing. "It is customary to stay home from work and accept visitors for the period of seven days. Usually they bring food and share stories. I am not saying you should do this, but I do not think being _here_ is allowing him the chance to… to focus."

Jenny nodded. "She's got a point."

Encouraged, Ziva continued, "He is better off grieving now than down the line. For Jews, we are given those seven days to concentrate, to remember… but then we are done. Life must go on."

Gibbs grimaced. "I can't take off a week from work."

Jenny touched his arm. "Wednesday is almost over. What about leaving now and taking tomorrow and Friday then? It will be good for both of you, I think. I'll see if I can do it too."

He looked at his wife, surprised. "Yeah?"

"My family comes first, Jethro. We have to help Sam through this. So yeah."

He nodded. "Okay. I'll take him home now. You and Julia follow when you can." Gibbs looked at his friend and kissed her on the forehead. "Thanks, Ziver."

"Toda," added Jenny.

Ziva nodded at them both and slipped out the door.

Jenny reached for Jethro's hand. "She's right. He needs to be home."

"I know," he said, kissing her on the forehead too. "I'm going to swing by his house - see if there's anything else he wants from there. I grabbed some things, but…"

She nodded. "Good idea. I'll let Noemi know you'll both be there in a little bit. I'll call SecNav and Holly and let them know what's going on. I hate doing this to Holly…"

"She'll understand," he said, squeezing her hand.

"See you both later." She kissed him briefly on the lips and headed for her desk to make the calls.

Gibbs and Sam made it to his house to pick up a few more things. The boy barely said two words the entire time, still profoundly sad and hardly able to function. At one point, Gibbs found him on his parents' bed, hugging one of the pillows and crying. It hurt his heart to see his son in so much pain but he knew there wasn't anything he could do to shield him from it. He had to experience it and feel his way to the other side. His mind drifted to Jenny's words about not letting him go through it alone, so he sat down on the bed next to him. "Take all the time you need, Sam. Want to bring the pillow?"

"Can I?" he finally managed.

Gibbs nodded. "You can bring anything you want."

Sam rubbed his eyes. "Will I ever come back here?"

He sighed. "I can bring you here again if you want."

The boy shook his head furiously. "Will I live here with Gaddy?"

Gibbs shrugged. "I don't know." He saw the anguish in his son's eyes. "I know you miss your parents, but I hope you know Jenny and I want you to be happy living with us. You're welcome to stay… forever. We want to take care of you."

Sam looked at him, unsure how to respond. So he got off the bed, carrying the pillow and headed towards his room. Gibbs got up and followed, letting him set the pace. "Can I bring all of my animals?"

"You bet."

The two then set out to gather all of the stuffed animals and took them to the car. After removing all that he wanted, they headed back to the house and unloaded everything into Sam's room. Gibbs put the clothes away while Sam arranged his stuffed animals around his room and on his bed.

The young boy looked up at his nightstand and saw the framed picture Gibbs had already placed there of him with his parents. He froze on the spot, his heart racing at seeing his parents in happier times. Gibbs sensed something and turned to see Sam as tears started to flow down his cheeks. He walked over and crouched down in back of him. "I know you miss them, Sam."

"It's not fair," he said, his shoulders shaking as he became more emotional.

"No, it isn't."

Sam looked over his shoulder at the older man. "I want my mommy," he cried.

He was breaking Gibbs' heart, so he decided to take a risk and drew the boy into his arms. He sighed with relief when Sam let him, resting his head against Gibbs' shoulder as he cried. He cradled his head with his hand, kissing his hair. "I know…" He heard the front door open and realized Jenny would be there any second.

Sure enough, moments later she popped her head in the doorway and saw Jethro comforting Sam. She leaned her head against the frame and remained silent, not wanting to interrupt their moment.

Without moving, Sam whispered to Gibbs, "I think Genny's here."

She smiled. "Hi Sam. Do you want me to leave or can I stay?"

The boy sniffled as he wiped away his tears. "I'm sleepy."

Gibbs shot Jenny a worried look. Sam didn't tell her to leave, so she entered the room. Her husband moved the chair by the bed and sat in it – and then reached for Jenny to sit on his lap. Both watched as Sam crawled into bed with Simon, gripping his mom's pillow in his arms.

"Do you want us to have anything special for dinner?" she asked as she removed a few locks of hair from his face.

He snuggled more into his pillow before managing, "Mac and cheese?"

"You got it, monkey," she said, leaning her head against her husband's. They watched him for a few minutes until they were sure he was asleep.

It wasn't long before Sam found himself dreaming. It was a snowy day. His mommy had bundled him up nice and warm before the two headed out to play. They walked around the backyard where they found some pristine snow and began to make angels. His mommy inspected his, smiling from ear-to-ear as she told him how wonderful it was. She picked him up carefully so he could examine it too. He basked in her praise before rewarding her with a hug. She kissed him on his nose. Next they built a snowman, giving him a carrot nose, two button eyes and a scarf. Both were exhausted so they went back into their house where she made him a hot chocolate with extra marshmallows – just the way he liked it. They then snuggled on the couch as she read him a story. "I love you, Sammy," she kept saying before she turned each page, making him smile.

Gibbs motioned for Jenny to get up and together they walked out of his room, almost closing the door behind them. He reached for her hand as they headed for the nursery. "He was smiling in his sleep," he said, surprised.

She sighed. "At least he seemed peaceful." She pushed the door open to find Julia sitting up, holding onto the bars of the crib – a big smile on her face as she drooled. "I asked Noemi to bring her up here so I could come see you guys. Hello, Julia," she said, smiling as she picked her up.

Gibbs kissed the baby on her head before his eyes drifted towards Sam's room. "Should he be sleeping this much?"

She hugged her daughter close, ignoring the drool making its way down her neck. "I'm afraid to tell you how much I slept after my father died."

"You don't talk much about that."

"You're right," she sighed.

He nodded, realizing today would be no different. Not like he could blame her – he didn't like talking about what it was like for him after Shannon and Kelly's deaths. Julia's cooing noises brought him out of his reverie, demanding his attention. It was impossible to look at his daughter's face and not smile. Her reaching out for him made his day.

Jenny handed her over willingly. "Enjoy her – I'm going to change out of this suit."

"Can we come watch?"

She saw him smirking, and it made her heart feel a little less heavy. She could tell his flirting was a little half-hearted, but she appreciated the attempt. "Not sure what kind of thrill it'll be for her…"

"Doesn't matter. Enough of a thrill for me to please two people."

She rolled her eyes, blushing. "Fine, come on."

Gibbs sat on their bed and tickled Julia while keeping an eye on his wife as she changed.

Jenny purposely removed all of her clothes before putting any back on so that her husband could enjoy more of a show - wanting to do what she could to lift his spirits. She took out her yoga pants and a green bra-type tank top and set them aside.

"You look perfect as is," he said, his voice husky with desire as he raked his eyes over every inch of her. He quickly placed Julia under her floor gym before running over to take his wife briefly in his arms. "You feel perfect too." He moaned as he kissed her deeply, allowing his hands to explore every inch before she inevitably pushed him away to get dressed. To his surprise, she not only didn't fight him off but she intensified their kiss, threading her fingers into his hair. A minute or two later, both pulled away, realizing they were definitely tempting fate.

Jenny quickly put her clothes on, much to his disappointment. "Stop being silly. You know I have to get dressed."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," he growled, the taste of her lips still fresh on his own. He walked back over to Julia. She was kicking her legs out excitedly, enjoying the noises of her various toys.

"Be right back." Jenny headed to the kitchen to alert Noemi of the change in dinner plans, requesting mac and cheese for Sam. On her way back to the bedroom, she checked in on Sam. She could tell he was starting to wake up, so she went inside and sat by his bedside. When he looked up at her, she smiled. "That was a quick nap."

He slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. "I saw Mommy."

Jenny leaned forward, her elbows on her knees. "You did? Do you want to tell me about it?"

He shook his head, but he smiled. "It was nice."

A part of her was saddened that he didn't want to discuss it, but she of all people understood. He was more like Jethro than they realized. What happened next surprised her.

He crawled down off the bed and into her lap with Simon, leaning his head against her chest. He felt her arms wrap around him, holding him close – and he liked it. "I miss Mommy so much, Genny."

As they sat together in the dark, she caressed his back and kissed his head. "I know, Sam. I know you do."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: I want to continue to thank you all for reading. Some have given great ideas and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it! Love hearing your thoughts!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

After dinner, the family settled into the living room to watch a DVD. Jenny sunk onto the couch with Julia in her arms. She handed her a cold washcloth to chew on, hoping that would keep her happy for a little while.

Gibbs was about to show Sam the bookshelf that housed Jenny's ever-growing collection of kid-friendly movies, but he reached for a new DVD that he had acquired that day. He held it in his hands, unsure whether or not mentioning it was going to do more harm than good.

Sam looked up at him and recognized the packaging – his breath caught in his throat. "Is that _my_ movie?"

Jenny narrowed her eyes, trying to make out what was in her husband's hands.

Gibbs nodded. "Do you want us to watch it, or will it upset you too much?" He could tell Sam was giving his question a lot of thought. He handed it to him, so he could look at it.

Sam held it with reverence. "Mommy's in it." He nodded and handed it back to Gibbs. "Can we watch?"

Gibbs smiled. "I'd really love to see it." He looked at the DVD and then over at his wife, who was smirking. "Um, Jen, how does this work?"

"Turn on the DVD player, hit the eject button, put the DVD on the tray and shut it. It's really not brain surgery, Jethro."

He glared at her in a teasing way, making her laugh. While he was distracted, Sam took it out of his hand and set it up in the machine.

"We can watch now."

Jenny laughed. "Schooled by a 4-year-old. I love it. Come here and give me a high five, Sam."

He walked over to Jenny and gave her a subdued high five - basking in her praise but still a bit reserved.

She then patted the couch seat next to her, encouraging him. He climbed up to join her, shooting an annoyed glance in Julia's direction.

Gibbs handed his wife the remote and then took a seat on the other side of Sam - placing a hand on his shoulder. "Want to sit on my lap?" He was hoping he would so he could put his arm around Jenny, but the boy shook his head and leaned into her side.

Jenny put her arm around him and found Jethro's hand – threading her fingers with his. "Everyone ready for me to hit play?" After hearing a couple of agreeable grunts, she chuckled and pressed the button.

Sam's eyes widened when he saw Vivienne holding him up to the camera as an infant. He released a small contented sigh upon seeing her and snuggled deeper into Jenny's side.

The redhead glanced over at her husband, eager to see his reaction – but she wasn't prepared for the haunted look in his eyes. Jenny could tell that while the home movies were helping Sam, they were reinforcing how much of his life Jethro had missed. She caressed his hand with her thumb but he didn't seem to notice.

"That's Gaddy!" squealed Sam when Steve Summers came onscreen.

Jenny felt her husband tense up immediately and saw his shoulders sag a bit at Sam's outburst. She wanted so badly to take him in her arms, but all she could do was try to show her empathy through her hand holding his - which still seemed to be going unnoticed.

The DVD moved on to Sam's first birthday, showing his parents fussing over him and blowing out a candle on his cake for him. They laughed when he put his hand smack dab in the cake and then tossed pieces of it over his head.

"Try not to do that when it's your turn, Julia," said Jenny, shifting the fussy baby around in the crook of her arm. Her daughter began crying, upsetting her big brother.

Sam's agitation continued to grow. "Shhhh baby!"

Jenny didn't like the boy's escalating anger or her husband's obliviousness to it all. "Sam, you concentrate on the video. I'll get her to quiet down." His lower lip popped out but he returned his attention to the screen. "Let's see if you're hungry, Julia. Is that it, sweet girl?" She removed her hand from Jethro's grip and used it to lower her tank top, offering her breast to Julia. Relief flooded over her when she took it, quieting her down and averting the meltdown she was sure Sam was headed for.

The next part shown was at a pool, as Vivienne held Sam in a group lesson situation.

Gibbs leaned his head down and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Do you like swimming?" He nodded his head furiously. "I guess we'll look for a pool to join then."

"Really?"

Gibbs glanced at Jenny, who nodded, and then at Sam and smiled. "Yeah."

"Maybe you can help us teach your baby sister here how to swim one day," she said. His smile faded when he looked at Julia, causing Jenny some concern. She looked over at her husband, to see if he noticed but his eyes were back on the screen. It wasn't much longer before Julia decided she was done. Jenny reached for a nearby towel and proceeded to burp the baby. She fixed herself and stood up. "I'll be right back. I'm going to put her down." Neither Gibbs male acknowledged her, making her roll her eyes as she headed to the nursery. She turned on the mobile, kissed her head and quietly left the room in time to hear the doorbell ring.

"That's okay, I'll get it," she said, amused with herself since she knew Jethro had no intention of getting up for the door. She answered it to find Tony, Ziva, Abby and McGee, all carrying different items of food. "Wow, this is a surprise. Thank you!"

Abby smiled. "It was Ziva's idea."

The Israeli smiled. "It is a sin to visit people in mourning without bringing food."

McGee looked over at her. "Seriously?"

Jenny tried not to laugh. "Only if you're Jewish, Tim."

"Ha," laughed Ziva, as she headed towards the kitchen.

The others followed, walking past the living room. They silently put the food away before all eyes turned questioningly to Jenny.

"Jethro found a DVD at Sam's house that's filled with home movies of his life."

Tony's eyes widened. "Wow."

Jenny suddenly got an idea. "Any chance I could talk you all into babysitting for about an hour or so? Julia's fed and probably asleep in the nursery. You can watch the DVD with Sam." She grabbed the baby monitor and handed it to Abby. All four immediately responded that they'd stay. "Thank you so much."

The group headed for the living room. Sam was the first to notice. "Tony! Come watch me!" he said as he ran towards the very special agent.

Jenny walked over to her husband, whose irritation she could see beginning to percolate. "Come with me now."

"Jen, I'm watching this."

"It's on DVD. I promise we can continue watching it when we get back."

He narrowed his eyes. "Get back from where?"

She ignored her husband for the moment as she addressed the team. "I've got my cell – call if we're needed or if you want to leave. And thanks again. Sam, we'll be back shortly. You okay?"

"You're staying with me, Tony?" The agent nodded. "Yay!"

All four settled in on the couch, with Sam crawling onto Tony's lap.

Gibbs eyed his wife. "Are you sure this is a good idea? He needs us."

Jenny looked over at a smiling Sam. "We may not get another chance like this for a while. Please?"

He sighed. "OK, but I'm going under protest."

"I can live with that." She grabbed his hand, her keys and headed for the door.

Gibbs was sulking during the car ride over, not even paying attention to where she was driving. "You really think it was a good idea to let Tony spend _more_ time with Sam – without me being there?"

"Tony's the one person I do feel comfortable leaving him with because I know he'll be happy."

Gibbs let his head fall back against the seat, frustrated by the truth in Jenny's words. "What are we doing?"

She pulled into the driveway of her Georgetown home, surprised he didn't even realize where they were, and turned off the car. "Come with me." They entered the house, and Gibbs immediately sat down on the steps while Jenny headed for the closet.

He finally snapped out of his funk when he saw her carrying the familiar bedding towards him. "Oh."

"I'm not saying we need to make love," she said as she arranged the blankets in front of him. "I just want to hold you as we talk about what you're feeling and what's happening – without worry of interruption."

"Oh we're making love," he whispered, his voice thick with desire. He stood up and removed his blazer before he took her in his arms.

They made quick work of undressing each other but slowed down the pace while they made love – savoring every second of this time together. They gladly lost themselves to the moment, grateful for the comfort that came with satisfying their urges. Her moans of pleasure as she screamed his name did more to heal him than anything else could. And when it was over, her arms around him were all he needed.

"I've been wanting to hold you like this all day," she whispered, stroking his hair with her fingers.

"You always know what I need," he mumbled, his face resting against her chest.

She leaned down to kiss the top of his head. "I want to. Right now, I think you need to talk."

He raised his head lazily, leaning back so he could look in her eyes. "I do? Or you do?"

She managed a small smile. "Maybe both. I watched you as the DVD played. I could tell it was hurting you."

He settled back down, resting his head by her shoulder. "I've lost so much time with him, Jenny. I'm not sure he'll ever see me as his father."

She sighed, her heart hurting for him. "It's been less than three full days. You're going to need a lot more patience than that."

"You think it's possible then?" he asked, a hopeful tone in his voice.

"I know you. If anyone can get through to him, it's you." She saw his questioning eyes. "Yes, I think it's more than just possible. You'll do it. But you have to remember that he's spent four years thinking Steve was his father. And I think you'll have better luck trying to share the title than stealing it. Don't shy away from the role he played – you need to embrace it – same with Tony."

He placed his elbow on the floor next to her and leaned on it, propping himself up so he could look at her. "Why?"

She caressed his cheek, wishing she could remove the pain she saw in his eyes. "Because Sam loves them. If he sees you fighting that or them, you'll just alienate him. But – if he sees you accepting them, I bet it will lessen his stress level and speed up the process of your bonding with him."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You really think so?"

She shrugged. "Couldn't hurt to try. Fighting them – or at least Tony – hasn't gotten you anywhere."

He settled down on his back next to her, contemplating her words. "Guess it wouldn't hurt to try."

Jenny smiled as she turned to rest her head and hand on his chest, snuggling up to him. "I do want to share one thing with you." She could tell she had his attention. "His reactions to Julia have me a bit worried. I think we're facing a jealousy situation that needs to be watched."

"What?" he asked, skeptically. "You serious?"

"I'm telling you, Jethro. Watch him with her. She annoys the hell out of him."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "He's four, Jen. We annoy the hell out of him."

She propped herself up so she could look at him. "You need to take me seriously. You know I love Sam and want to do everything I can to help make us all a family but I will _not_ jeopardize Julia in any way to make that happen."

The tone of her voice let him know she was deadly serious. He swallowed as he nodded. "OK, I'll keep my eyes open." He saw her relax and was surprised. "You really think I'd let anything happen to Jules?"

She shook her head. "Not if you were aware. I'm simply asking you to _be_ aware." She sighed and kissed his chest. "Let's go back."

When they walked back in the door, everyone and everything was as they left it – in the living room glued to the TV watching the DVD. Gibbs put his arms around Jenny. "Thanks. I needed that."

"We both did," she said, hugging him tightly to her.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Thanks as always to those who leave feedback. I do appreciate you more than you know.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was the middle of the night. An exhausted Jenny was up with Julia in the nursery, trying to comfort her teething baby. She put more of the numbing medicine on her gums and was waiting for it to kick in, hoping her daughter would calm down and fall back to sleep as she paced back and forth with her.

Gibbs approached the nursery and leaned against the doorframe, sleep still in his eyes. "How long you been up?"

He startled Jenny, who jumped a bit – which in turn scared Julia, making her cry. She shot her husband an annoyed look as she attempted to soothe her.

"Sorry," he mumbled, scrubbing his hand down his face. He walked closer, putting his arms around both his girls. "Shhh, Jules. You're okay," he whispered into her ear as he cupped her head in his hand.

Exhausted, Julia pulled away from him and buried her face in Jenny's neck, finally settling down.

He kissed both of their heads before he whispered to his wife, "Gonna check on Sam."

She nodded and watched him go. After a few minutes, Julia was asleep, so Jenny put her down in the crib, sighing in relief. She made her way back to the bedroom and found her husband sprawled across it on his stomach. "I'm going to lay on top of you if you don't move over to your side of the bed."

He stayed put. "Is that a promise?" he mumbled into the pillow.

"Come on, Jethro. I'm exhausted too." She couldn't believe he wouldn't move over so she made good on her threat to lay down on top of him, resting her head in the crook of his neck. "Sam asleep?"

"Uh huh," he grunted.

"Good," she sighed as she shifted around. "This really isn't comfortable. You need to move."

He begrudgingly shifted onto his side, unceremoniously dumping her off of him. "Happy now?" he asked, scooting over.

"Yes," she muttered sleepily. She heard him mumble something but she didn't care – she was that tired - just another typical night at their house these days.

The next morning, no alarms were set. Since Julia woke up and was fed in the middle of the night, she was sleeping in too.

Sam woke up and saw the sun trying to poke through his curtains, alerting him that it was morning. He smiled, forgetting for a second that he would never see his mother again. Then his eye caught the framed photo on his nightstand, and he remembered all over again. The sadness washed over him, and he cried.

Jenny was the first to hear, waking instantly. She squeezed her husband's arm. "Jethro, get up."

"What is it?" he said, sitting instantly - his Marine-instincts kicking in.

"Sam's crying."

Gibbs sat still for a moment, listened – and sighed. "I'll go to him."

"Call if you need me or bring him in here with us if you want," she said sympathetically.

He put an NCIS T-shirt on and tightened his sweats as he quickly headed down the hall. His breath caught in his throat at seeing his son clutching the pillow and crying his eyes out. He walked towards him, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Sam looked up, his eyes red and his face wet. "I want my mommy," he managed before burying his face again in the pillow.

Gibbs fought with his own insecurities and doubts about what to do next. It wasn't long before he made a choice, took a deep breath and reached down - lifting the boy up to hold against his shoulder. He rubbed his back reassuringly. After a few seconds, he felt two little arms reach around his neck and his little head burrow into his neck. He could feel a few tears on his skin but he felt like Sam was calming down. "What would you like to do? Want breakfast? Or do you want to come into our bed and sleep a bit more?"

"With Genny?" he asked sleepily.

Gibbs smiled. "You got it." He started to head out the door but was stopped by Sam.

"Simon!"

Gibbs turned around, reached down for the teddy bear and handed him to his owner.

"And my pillow!"

Jenny, still under the covers, watched as they entered the bedroom. She saw the way Sam was holding onto Jethro, and it made her smile. If it wasn't the first hug he'd gotten from the boy, it was certainly one of only a couple. She sat up to help her husband deposit him onto their bed. She then settled back down on her pillow while Sam placed his next to hers and lay down too. She was on her side, facing him. "How's Simon doing?" She figured the bear would reflect his own feelings but also make it easier for him to share.

Gibbs leaned on his elbow to watch them. He loved seeing Jenny's maternal side. It brought out a softness in her face, so vastly different than her in director mode, that made him fall in love with his wife all over again.

Sam yawned, obviously still sleepy. "Simon's sag. He misses Mommy."

"Is there anything I can do for Simon? Or for you?" she asked, as she touched Simon's nose.

He nodded sadly before he moved in closer so she could hug them both.

Gibbs watched his wife's face, the look of sheer joy as she held the boy close and kissed his head, and it made him smile. It felt strange to him - to feel happy about anything when his son was so miserable and his former lover was dead. The conflict made his head hurt, but he scooted closer and placed his arm over Sam and around Jenny's back. "Can I get in on this hug?"

Sam basked in their attention. He leaned back and handed the bear to Gibbs. "You can hug Simon too if you want."

Gibbs could tell this was a tremendous honor that was being bestowed on him, and he took it seriously. He ignored his wife's smirk as he pressed Simon to him. Sam smiled, pleased with the love being shown to his bear.

Jenny shook her head, amused. "Where is my camera when I need it?"

"Getting to live another day," he growled, making her laugh.

Sam's eyes looked to be getting heavy as sleep began to overtake him. Jenny reached for Simon and handed him back to the boy before she gently kissed his forehead. He saw her do this as his eyes began to close. "Thank you, Gummy," he mumbled.

Gibbs snorted. "Gummy? I like that."

Sam's eyes opened as he looked at them both - embarrassed at having almost called her Mommy. "Sorry."

Gibbs smiled. "I kind of like it. Jenny's like a gummy bear – very sweet and squishy," he said, poking her belly.

"Hey," she squealed, not happy with his implication.

"I like the nickname. You're Gummy," Gibbs said, pointing at her in a teasing fashion.

Sam also poked her belly and giggled. He then turned to look at Gibbs. "You like squishing Gummy."

Jenny pretended to be mildly upset by the teasing but in fact she actually found the nickname and its closeness to Mommy to be perfect. She looked down to see Sam smiling as he drifted off. She glanced up at Jethro as she settled down on her own pillow and mouthed, "I love you."

He reached across a sleeping Sam to gently caress his wife's face. "I love you too," he mouthed.

She put her fingers around his wrist and moved it to her lips so she could kiss his hand. After, they both settled down and closed their eyes.

Ten minutes later, once all three were sleeping again, Julia woke them with her crying.

Jenny immediately sprang to her feet and headed off for the nursery. Gibbs and Sam looked at each other tensely until the crying stopped. Both smiled and closed their eyes again.

Once Julia was fed, changed and a fresh onesie was put on, Jenny brought her back to the bedroom to be with the rest of the family. She added a pillow on top of hers so she could sit up a bit and then slipped under the covers, hugging Julia to her. "Someone wanted to join the party."

Gibbs looked up and smiled to see his daughter nuzzling into her mommy's neck. "Morning, Jules. How's she doing?"

"Well," drawled Jenny as she readjusted her, "someone was very hungry and ate like a champ. Very impressive." He laughed. "Her burp was just as impressive."

Sam, who had been sleeping on his side towards Jenny, turned over to face Gibbs instead.

She raised her eyebrows at her husband and motioned her head towards the boy. "Be aware," she said.

Gibbs wasn't sure that was exactly proof but he nodded.

The shrill ringing of Jenny's cell phone interrupted their family moment. She picked it up with her free hand and looked at the caller ID before quickly handing Julia over to Gibbs. "The office."

He took the baby and held her to him, kissing her head. "There, there, Jules," he said as he watched Jenny morph into director mode. She walked out of their room, barking orders as she left. His phone began to ring as well so he gently placed Julia on the bed between him and Sam and turned away to answer it, throwing his legs over the side of the bed and sitting up. "Yeah, Gibbs."

"Boss, finally caught a break. Suspect was spotted in Dupont Circle. Ziva and McGee are already on their way. I'm about to join them." Tony put the phone between his ear and shoulder as he reached for his sidearm.

Gibbs realized Jenny was probably getting a similar update from MTAC.

Tony reached for his badge. "Want to interrogate him yourself or want us to handle it?"

He could hear Julia begin to cry but his blood was boiling. Gibbs wanted a piece of this suspect like none other. "He's mine, DiNozzo. Put him on ice and call me when –" He stopped upon hearing Jenny's blood curdling scream at Sam to stop. He turned around to find his son sitting over Julia, pressing a pillow over her face. He dropped the phone and immediately pushed Sam and the pillow off of her, gathering a frightened Julia in his arms. He checked her over, relief flooding over him when she coughed and then cried.

Jenny ran over to Gibbs and took Julia from him, needing to see for herself that her daughter was okay. Anger pulsed through her as she pointed at Sam. "You handle," she spit out venomously as she quickly left the room.

Gibbs was shaking; he was so angry and completely freaked out by the situation. His heart was racing. "What the hell were you thinking, Sam?" His voice was low and threatening – more frightening than if he was screaming.

Sam burst into tears - completely scared by the anger aimed right at him. Gibbs scrubbed his hand down his face, not sure what to do next. When the boy finally calmed down, he looked up at his father, his lower lip quivering. "You were on the phone. She kept crying. I only try to make her quiet," he said before bursting into another round of tears.

Gibbs took a deep breath, trying to get his wits together. "You could have killed her, Sam. She couldn't breathe with a pillow over her face. Do you see how wrong that is?" The boy couldn't stop shaking but he managed to nod, showing he understood. "So you'll never do anything like that again?"

Tears began flowing again as he nodded his head. Gibbs sighed, his breathing finally calming down. "I want you to go straight to your room and really think about what you did. I'll come get you when we have breakfast."

Still crying, Sam reached for his pillow and Simon and headed to his room.

Gibbs closed his eyes, not believing what just transpired. He found his phone and checked to see if Tony was still on the other end but he wasn't. He threw the contraption angrily on the bed and headed straight for the nursery. He took a deep breath and pushed open the door. He found Jenny in the rocking chair, trying to soothe Julia's cries. When she looked up, he could see she'd been crying. "He saw I was on the phone and wanted her to be quiet."

Her look hardened when she made eye contact. She kept her voice low and even so as not to upset the baby but there was no misunderstanding her feelings. "You _promised_ you'd be aware. How could you turn your back to them?"

His eyes widened when he realized she blamed him more than Sam. "Jenny, I'm sorry but –"

"Yeah," she said over him. "Me too." She then turned her attention back to Julia, kissing and caressing her head. "You're safe now, sweet girl. Mommy's got you."


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Really enjoyed your reviews! Thanks so much!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"You're safe now, sweet girl. Mommy's got you."

The implication of her words wasn't lost on Gibbs. So many emotions were swirling through his head, but he felt the need to make one thing clear. "She's safe with me too. It will never happen again."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You almost lost the opportunity for a second chance to prove that, didn't you?"

"Jen…" he warned.

She shook her head, as anger threatened to spill out of her. "You'd better go before I really lose it."

Gibbs sighed in frustration. He knew she was right – though it'd been a long time since he'd seen her this angry. But a part of him worried if she held it in, it would only fester and drive them farther apart. "I can handle it. Put her down, and let's talk."

She stood up, hugging the still fussy baby to her shoulder. "Oh. So _now_ you want to talk? And maybe listen?" Jenny looked him in the eye, her anger palpable. "You sure about this, Gibbs?"

"Gibbs?" He set his jaw, prepared for battle. "After this, I really thought I'd be dealing with my wife, not Madame Director."

Jenny eyed him carefully. "Not like you've ever been good at listening to either." She held Julia close and showered her with kisses. "You really want to do this now?" she asked angrily.

"Damn it, Jenny! You're not on the only one who was scared to death." He could see her trying to let go of the rage when her attention turned back to the baby.

She closed her eyes, leaning her head against Julia's. "Shhh, you're okay," she said softly, rubbing her little back.

Gibbs realized he was being selfish. His daughter needed Jenny in mommy mode, not a ball of anger because he was insisting she talk to him. "Never mind. Concentrate on Jules. Going to work."

"You're what?" She looked at him, incredulous.

"You wanted me to go!" he said, exasperated. "They're about to bring in the suspect in the case. _I want him_," he said, matching her intensity.

"You gotta be kidding me. Your son almost kills your daughter and your response is to go into the office?"

A scared Julia started crying again, upsetting Jenny greatly. "Fine, if that's what you want – go."

"I can take Sam," he said.

"Oh please. You're not taking him to the office. He's probably completely freaked out. Leave him here. As soon as I get her settled down I'll go see him," she said, adjusting Julia in her arms.

Gibbs shook his head. "He's been through enough."

She rolled her eyes. "I won't lose it with him. Sam's four! I get that."

He leaned his head back against the wall, hitting it in frustration. "Right. It's me you're mad at."

"Jethro, it's not that simple," she sighed and closed her eyes. "I can't stop this agonizing thought that keeps racing through my head. It feels like a hundred knives piercing my heart." She opened her eyes and looked at him. "What if I hadn't walked in when I did? Do you think our marriage - our family - could've survived if Sam _had_ killed Julia? Do you think_ you_ could have survived losing another daughter?"

Gibbs' eyes widened. He hadn't wanted to let his mind go there. The feelings were still, all these years later, too raw. But Jenny did it, and it made him want to scream. He wanted to throw things, to feel something break in his hand so he could concentrate on that instead. In the end, he just felt numb.

He looked at her with such a haunted expression that she realized she went a step too far trying to get her point across. She watched as he wordlessly turned around and out the door. A few minutes later she heard the front door slam violently shut, which started Sam crying again down the hall. Jenny cursed him beneath her breath as she placed a calmer Julia in her crib. "I'll be back soon," she said as she turned on the mobile and handed her a toy.

Jenny took a deep breath before she headed out the door and down the hall to Sam's room. She was deeply conflicted by her feelings over what he had done versus knowing he didn't realize its possible ramifications and now needed comfort. But as a parent, she knew what she had to do so she sucked it up and gently pushed open the door. She found him huddled in the corner of his room, hugging the pillow and Simon while tears fell down his face. When he noticed her, she saw fear in his eyes and it made her feel horrible. She walked inside and took a seat on the floor next to him.

Sam leaned into the wall furthest from her, obviously nervous about what she was going to do him, and began to whimper.

Jenny could see the boy was a wreck. She knew she had to do something, so she lifted him up and moved him to her lap, wrapping her arms around him. Sam burst into tears again so she caressed his back and head as he leaned against her chest. She kissed the top of his head while she waited for him to calm down.

"The goor slam. I thought you an Gibbs left me," he managed to say though the tears.

Again, Jenny found herself inwardly cursing her husband.

Miles away, Gibbs found his car almost driving itself as he replayed the horrifying morning over and over in his head. He knew Jenny had every right to be angry with him. He couldn't remember why he turned his back on the kids just to talk on the phone. But never in a million years did he think Sam could or would do that. He pulled into the familiar parking space and rested his head on the wheel, feeling overwhelmed.

After a few minutes he collected himself, got out of the car and walked over the freshly cut grass to the pathway that would lead him to his destination. When he reached it, he sat on the cold ground and held his head in his hands. It took him a few minutes before he found the courage to look up – to face the headstones and what he assumed would be their feelings of disappointment in him as well. "It's been too long."

His eyes raked over their names and the listed dates – all that seemed to be left of another family he let down - with fatal consequences. "I really messed up, Shannon," he sighed. "I think you know I've remarried again. We have a daughter, Julia." His eyes shifted to the other headstone. "I sometimes picture you like you were, Kel – and imagine you holding your baby sister in your arms," he mused, a faint smile on his lips. His mood then darkened. "But you wouldn't be 8; you'd be 26." He shook his head. "I still can't believe most days that you both are gone."

Back at the house, Sam had calmed down enough that Jenny felt she was able to speak with him. "Can you tell me what happened? Why did you put the pillow over your little sister's face?"

"She was crying. Gibbs was talking on phone. I shush her but she cry more."

Jenny sighed. "Sam, she's a baby. She's going to cry. A lot. Your job is to take care of you, okay? You don't have to take care of me or Gibbs or Julia even. If she's doing something we think she shouldn't be doing, it's our job to handle it. Can you understand that?"

His lower lip protruded out as he nodded.

She nodded too. "Good. Now if something happens and you think she needs to be taken care of, just get our attention. Can you do that?" He nodded again. "And you know that you should never put anything over her face like that, right?"

"Yes," he said sadly.

She reached for his pillow. "Try putting this over your face for a few seconds and tell me how it feels."

Sam looked at her warily, but he did as she asked. In less than two seconds, he quickly removed that. "I gon't like that!"

Jenny looked at him sympathetically. "So you understand why it was bad to do that to Julia, when she couldn't push it off or ask you to stop?"

He nodded sadly. "I say sorry to her?"

Jenny was impressed. "I think that's a great idea. Let's go." She helped him off her lap, standing him up. She then stood up herself, reached for his hand and together they walked towards the nursery. Julia was staring up at the mobile, kicking her legs out and cooing to herself. Jenny reached in and picked her up. She knelt next to Sam.

"Sorry baby. I wasn't trying to hurt you." He reached a hand out to pet her head. Julia smiled at him, happy with the attention.

Jenny put an arm around him and kissed Sam on the forehead. "Thank you for doing that. It was very nice of you."

He smiled, feeling much better.

Still at the cemetery, Gibbs had finished updating Shannon and Kelly about his life. "Jen was right. If Julia had died this morning, I'm not sure I could have survived losing her too - especially knowing it was my fault," he said as tears began to gather in his eyes. "She's our miracle child. The grip she put on my heart was instantaneous. When I first laid eyes on her… touched her for the first time… saw Jen hold her… I can't even describe it." His face turned serious. "You haven't been replaced, Kelly. No one could _ever_ do that. But she's helped the wounds to heal a bit."

Gibbs massaged his neck for a few seconds, hurting from the tension. "Now I have a son, and it blows me away. He's going through so much. First he has to deal with finding out I'm his father, which can't be easy. Then his mother died, and he feels completely abandoned." He rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on.

"Jenny thinks he's jealous of Julia. She thinks I didn't believe her or didn't listen to her. I don't know," he sighed. "I trust her instincts. She must know that, right? I guess I didn't think it could lead to this! How was I to know?" He looked down at his left hand and the perfectly formed ring on his finger. "But what if she never forgives me? I can't lose her." He looked up at Shannon's headstone. "I shouldn't be talking to you about her. It's not fair."

Gibbs leaned back against his hands and looked up in the sun, closing his eyes. His thoughts drifted to Jenny and all she meant to him. He understood now what she meant when she had told him in the hospital that she loved him so much it scared her. Right now, he felt the exact same way. He had to make things right with her because any other option was unacceptable. He had no idea how he functioned without her before, but he was pretty damn sure he wouldn't be able to do it again. Somehow he had to make her understand how sorry he was for all that had happened.

At home, Jenny heard Jethro's cell phone ringing. "You gotta be kidding me." She followed the ring until she found it and looked at the caller ID. "DiNozzo," she sighed as she answered it. "It's me, Tony. What's going on?"

"Everything okay? I was talking to him earlier and heard you scream," he said.

"It is now," she said, not wanting to go into it. "Is the suspect in custody?"

"Yeah, finally. Does he want to come in and do the interrogation himself?"

She tried to keep the alarm out of her voice. "You mean you're at NCIS, and he isn't?"

Tony looked around the room again, specifically at the desk that was diagonal from his own. "I don't see any sign of him. You thought he was here? And he didn't take his phone?"

Jenny closed her eyes and sighed. "Apparently not – and he's breaking Rule #3," she said, obviously frustrated.

He snorted, amused. "Where is he then?"

She slowly shook her head, completely annoyed with what she saw as irresponsible behavior on her husband's part. "Don't know. Don't care."


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: This one is a bit longer than usual. Hope it works for you. Thanks again to all still reading and especially to those leaving their thoughts. Much appreciated!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny was sitting in the living room with Sam, watching his home movie on DVD, while Julia napped in the nursery. It was almost lunchtime but there was still no word from Jethro. It wouldn't have been that big a deal except Sam kept asking every 10 minutes when Gibbs would be getting home. The time without him had allowed her to calm down but the longer he stayed away, the madder she was becoming… again.

Her phone rang, and she smiled when she saw who the caller was. "Well, isn't this a nice surprise," she teased as she grabbed the baby monitor and then put distance between herself and Sam so she could talk without disturbing him. She made sure to keep the boy in her line of vision.

"Cut the pleasantries - a little bird told me all hell's broken loose in Gibbsville."

Jenny rolled her eyes as she settled into a comfy chair. "Remind me to kill Tony," she whispered. "I swear he's such a teenage girl sometimes."

"You have no idea," smirked Mary.

Jenny scrunched up her face. "Ew. I don't think I want to know what that means."

Mary swung her chair around, annoyed. "Enough stalling. What gives?"

Jenny sighed. She knew better than to think she could put the U.S. Marshal off so she didn't bother trying. "How much do you know?"

"Let's see," mused Mary, as she recited her mental checklist. "I know that this morning you screamed, your husband's now missing and my friend with benefits is worried and apparently obsessed with some new ankle grabber on the scene who turns out to have been fathered by Mr. Personality. So… what am I missing? Fill in the blanks, and let's fix your world."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple." Jenny looked over at Sam and, after determining that he was still enthralled with his video, relaxed a bit. "Sometimes I miss when things were more cut and dry, I knew what to expect and life was simple."

Mary furrowed her brow. "When the hell was that? Kindergarten?"

"Yeah, pretty much," she sighed.

Mary snorted. "Listen, I can't even imagine what it was like for you guys to find out he had this surprise son, but Tony thought things were working out. What happened today?"

Jenny lowered her voice. "We had… an incident. Jethro was supposed to be watching the kids, and Julia could've been seriously hurt or…" she sighed, cringing. "Or worse. I freaked, words were said and he stormed out without his phone. Got an easy fix for that?"

"Yeah. Tell him you're sorry and that you love him. I accept checks."

Jenny laughed for a moment before her mood darkened. "I wish it was that simple."

Mary hated that her friend always insisted on complicating things. "Do you love him? And before you say anything, I'm looking for a yes or no answer – not for you to get all weepy and poetic about Superman making you fly or anything."

Jenny rolled her eyes and smiled as she fondly remembered their conversation long ago on that infamous plane ride. "Fine. Yes then."

"Is there anything that can be gained by holding onto your anger?" Mary had no idea why her friends were so stubborn sometimes.

She bit her lower lip as she thought about Mary's question. "No. But you may need to have this same conversation with my husband. I went too far."

Mary's eyes widened. "Oh. What'd you say?"

Jenny sighed, ashamed. "I brought up his daughter who died – asked if he thought he could survive if he lost another one." She was surprised that Mary remained silent. "What? No snappy response?"

The U.S. Marshal sighed. "Why'd you go and say something so stupid?"

Jenny became defensive. "I told him to leave. I knew that as upset as I was, I'd say something I shouldn't. But he pushed…"

"And you did." Mary shook her head, incredulous. "Damn Jenny, when you screw up you don't mess around."

She nodded. "No, I don't." She lifted her knees up and rested her head against them for a few seconds. "I was so upset, so angry. But now I'm fluctuating between wanting to knock some sense into him for not taking me seriously and…" she sighed.

Mary tired of waiting. "And what?"

Jenny closed her eyes. "And just wishing he would walk through the door, take me in his arms and tell me everything will be all right."

After a couple of hours at the cemetery, a more relaxed Gibbs was preparing to leave. He sighed, frustrated and saddened that Jenny hadn't even attempted to call him. He decided to check in with DiNozzo to see if the suspect was in custody, but when he reached into his pocket for his phone, he realized he'd forgotten it. "Damn." He contemplated driving home first to see if she'd calmed down at all but part of him worried he hadn't been gone long enough. He wondered if it wouldn't be better to call from the office but that was the coward's way out. Gibbs realized he needed to go home, but he made one stop along the way.

At home, Jenny checked the clock for the umpteenth time, unsure how much longer she could delay lunch or even if she should. Luckily, Sam was busy drawing and hadn't said anything about needing to eat. Julia was fed, changed and sitting in her new gift from Ducky - a Papasan Cradle Swing. Jenny couldn't stop smiling as she watched Julia reaching for the butterflies. She was so grateful her daughter was a happy baby and no worse for wear after the morning's horribleness. All three turned when they heard the door open.

Sam was the first one up, grabbing his picture and rushing to see Gibbs. "Look at this!"

Gibbs smiled. "Let me shut the door first," he laughed as he bent down on his knee to get a better look. "Wow, this is really good. Um, can you tell me what I'm looking at?"

"Sure!" he said, happy to point out his masterpiece.

Gibbs looked up from the drawing to see Jenny watching them. He was trying to gage her mood but she was doing her best to be unreadable, which he didn't think was a good sign.

Sam tugged on his blazer to get his attention again. "Gummy say make a picture for Mommy. This is me with Mommy, Gaddy an Tony." He then pointed to the other side of the paper. "You, Gummy an baby."

Gibbs smiled. "How come Gummy, Tony and I have four arms?"

Sam's chest puffed up, proud to share his artistic logic. "You, Tony take care of me but you also fight criminals, so you neeg more arms. Gummy takes care of me _an_ baby."

Gibbs was moved by his words. He kissed the boy on his temple. "Good job. Thanks for having us in the picture for Mommy. That was very nice of you."

His expression turned serious. "I gon't want Mommy to worry. I want her to know I'm okay."

Gibbs glanced up at his wife and saw her brushing away a tear. His throaty voice betrayed his own emotion. "I'm really glad to hear you say that."

Jenny cleared her throat. "Sam, why don't you go put your picture in your room and then wash up for lunch, okay?" He nodded and headed off. She wanted to talk with Jethro, but she wasn't sure how to begin and she found it hard to look at him - still embarrassed about what she had said earlier and nervous to find out how mad he might still be.

Gibbs stood up, with some effort, and looked at her. When she couldn't even look at him, he took it to mean she was still angry.

All she could manage was to hold up his phone. "Rule #3," she said lightly as she handed it to him.

He took it, their fingers not even touching. He looked at it for a few seconds before he slipped it into his pocked. "Wasn't on purpose."

His clipped words made her bristle. She sensed he was angry, so she remained reserved. "DiNozzo called. They have the guy on ice, waiting for you. Are you heading back out or are you having lunch with us?"

"What do you want me to do?"

She finally looked at him. "Sam's been asking for you every 10 minutes. Stay. Please."

He nodded tightly and headed past her towards the kitchen. When he saw Julia, he picked her up, pressing her against his shoulder. "Hi there, Jules," he said as he showered her face with kisses. "Come with Daddy."

Jenny sighed as she leaned against the wall behind her. She stayed there, trying to regroup, until Sam came by on his way back to the kitchen. He reached for her hand, dragging her with him – which didn't go unnoticed by Gibbs, making him smile a little with relief.

Lunch was quiet except for the little bit of chatter from Sam. But even he was subdued. Jenny didn't know if it was because he was feeding off their energy or if he was still overwhelmed from what happened earlier.

When lunch was over, Jenny put Julia in her crib to play while Gibbs took his son to his room.

"Sam, we should do something to make this feel more like it's yours. What color would you like it to be?"

The boy's eyes widened. "Really?" When the older man nodded, he smiled. "Any color?"

"You can pick a color or if you want, we can put something on the walls, like animals or trains or maybe cars – what would you want?"

"I… I love lawnmowers, weewackers, snowblowers."

Gibbs raised his eyebrows. "Lawn equipment. Hmm. Okay," he chuckled. "Well, I have to go into the office for a little while. How about you give it some thought and maybe talk with Jenny about it? She's good at stuff like that."

Sam's face fell. "You have to go?"

Gibbs knelt down beside him. "Tony, Ziva and Tim found the bad guy. If I can get him to admit what he did, and he turns out to really be the one, you can go back to school. You'd like that, right?"

He nodded. "I miss my teacher."

Gibbs put his hand on his shoulder. "I promise you that I'll try my best."

"I know," Sam sighed.

"Are you okay staying with Jenny and Julia?"

"And Mikey."

Gibbs smiled. "And Mikey. So you're okay? I promise I'll be back as soon as I can."

Sam leaned against his chest, allowing his dad to hug him. Jenny stood at the door and couldn't stop smiling.

Touched, Gibbs kissed him on his head. "I'll be back. Be good." He stood up and came face-to-face with Jenny. He swallowed, looking her in the eye. "Walk me out?"

She nodded. "Sam, I'll be right back. Can you stay here and when I return in a few minutes, we'll play some games, okay?" He nodded. She smiled and followed her husband to the front door.

They both stepped outside, leaving the door open. The awkwardness between them was bordering on uncomfortable. Gibbs wasn't sure what to do. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

She couldn't tell what he wanted from her or was feeling. She nodded. "Do you think you'll be back in time for dinner?"

"Doubt it. Don't feel you have to wait up."

Jenny sighed. "Of course I'll wait up. We need to talk." She wanted to go into his arms but he seemed so detached, she held back.

He was surprised by her words, but they made him feel hopeful. "Okay."

The change in his demeanor was subtle, but she saw it. "Jethro?"

He looked at her and while he wasn't sure, he got the feeling that maybe she wanted him to hold her. Gibbs softened, and before he knew it she had slipped into his arms. They closed their eyes, holding onto each other tentatively. It didn't solve things, but it made waiting until they talked later more bearable.

Jenny kissed him gently on his cheek before she backed up and let him go. She hugged her arms around herself as she watched him drive away.

Around 2345, Gibbs made his way into their bedroom. He pushed open the door and found Jenny in bed, reading case files - her glasses hanging low on her nose. As soon as she saw him, she removed her glasses and put them, along with the files, on her nightstand. She wasn't wearing her usual shorts and T-shirt. Instead, she was wearing a lavender silk negligee with its matching robe.

It was a strange thing to wear if she was still angry. He took it to be a peace offering. "You look beautiful," he said carefully, as he sat down on her side of the bed.

"Thank you."

"You stayed up."

She nodded. "I said I would. I may have taken a nap with Sam earlier so I'd be able to," she smiled impishly.

"I'm glad." He nodded and then sighed, closing his eyes. "It's over, Jen."

The blood drained from her face. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice betraying the panic she felt.

He hadn't been looking at her but the way she said it made him do just that. "I broke the guy. He wanted to get rid of Steve because he failed at bribing him to give him access to the lab. He figured he'd have better luck with his replacement." He saw her relief. "What did you think I meant?"

"Never mind," she said, embarrassed. "So Sam's safe now?"

It finally dawned on him. "Jen, you thought I meant our marriage?" He could tell by the expression on her face that she did. "Wow. Why would you think I'd do that? _You_ were the one who was so pissed."

"I crossed a line. I never should've brought up Kelly. Please forgive me." She lowered her head, feeling horrible about what she did.

"Jen," he sighed, not sure exactly what to say. He stood up to take off his blazer and shirts before he kicked off his shoes.

She stood up too and walked towards him. "I was angry, but I know that's no excuse."

"Please don't ever do it again. I was trying very hard _not_ to go there but you shoved me right into it," he said, his anger about it still near the surface.

"Jethro, where were you?"

He turned to look at his wife. The lamp from her nightstand, the only light in the room, was illuminating her from behind. It overwhelmed him how her beauty could still take his breath away. He reached out to caress her face, bringing her closer to him. She put her hands on his chest, relishing the feel of his skin under her fingers. "Later. I got you something."

She closed her eyes in frustration. "Why'd you do that?"

He reached into his pocket and removed a tiny wrapped box with a little bow on top. "It's not much, don't worry. But I felt horrible about what happened. You were so angry, it scared me."

"I needed to cool off. I was so scared by what almost happened - I couldn't function. And then I couldn't function without you. I needed you, and you were unreachable."

"I did a lot of thinking where I was, and I wanted to do something to show you how I felt. Open it."

Jenny couldn't imagine what it was. She opened the box and found a little pouch inside. Her eyes widened but he scoffed, encouraging her to look inside. He wrapped his arms around her, placing his hands on her ass. She smiled, encouraged by his possessive grasp of her backside. She reached into the pouch and pulled out a charm. It was a delicate little heart with a blue chip embedded in it.

He saw the confusion in her eyes. "I know you have a heart already but that one says 'Mom' and it's from Missy. This one has a sapphire, my birthstone."

She smiled. "This represents you?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Not me – just my heart." He closed her fingers around it. "You have my heart. It's fragile and can be easily broken – so please be careful with it. But it's all yours."

"Jethro," she whispered, touched by his words. "Thank you." She put it back in the pouch and placed it gently with her other jewelry. She then went to their door and locked it, dropping her robe as she walked back to him. Jenny watched him drink her in. She walked a bit closer to him. As he unbuckled his pants, she spoke softly. "I know we still have a lot to talk about, but right now… I don't want to think about any of that."

He stood before her, wearing only his boxers. "What do you want?"

Jenny walked closer, reached for his hands and put them on her - encouraging him to let them wander all over her body. Her breathing intensified, as did her desire. "I want…" she said as she bit her lip, throwing her head back. His hands made her feel so good – and they made her forget. And she wanted – she needed - to do just that. "God, I want you to make love to me." She felt his lips on her skin, and she wanted more.

Jethro knew he had to tell her about the cemetery, but for right now he needed his wife. He wanted to connect with her. The day had been horrible, and he wanted to erase it from his mind - at least for a while. And he knew there was no better way than to lose himself in her healing arms. He maneuvered her over to their bed. Within moments, they were both naked and under the covers.

She pushed all the bad thoughts from her mind, determined to enjoy all the things he was doing to her body. While they wanted to take their time, the threat of interruption was very real so they did the best they could. When it was over, they held onto each other tightly, not wanting to let go. Earlier in the day they had come close to losing everything – and while they both tried their best to push it out of their minds – in the end, it was all either could think about.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: I've been asked what my posting schedule is and for the most part, I try to post Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday or Friday, depending on how my week is going. But obviously, it's not set in stone but rather my goal. Thanks for your continued support of this story.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was early Friday morning. Jethro woke up and was grateful to see Jenny next to him, but he was surprised she was awake. He felt it was an unwritten rule that if Julia didn't cry for her breakfast, then he was supposed to be the first one to wake – mostly so he could watch his wife sleep – one his favorite things to do. "How long you been up? Did I miss a feeding?" he asked, his voice sounding a bit craggy.

Jenny was relaxing on her side, her head propped up a bit against her arm and pillow. "You didn't miss anything, though I think she's awake. I'll go in there in a few minutes. I was just enjoying seeing you look peaceful." She reached her hand out to caress his face, as if she was attempting to smooth out the lines on his face. "Are you going into work today?"

He shook his head. "Stayed late last night so I wouldn't have to."

She nodded, grateful. "Last night meant a lot to me."

He put his hand around her wrist and moved his head to kiss her hand. "Me too. You know I hate it when we fight. Makes me sick to my stomach."

"Me too." She scooted closer to him, resting fingers on his chest and her head on his shoulder. Jenny smiled when she felt his hand move around her. She knew he loved this negligee and the way her body felt underneath his gentle caress. "I know we need to talk about yesterday morning, but I'm really enjoying the way you're making me feel right now."

"And how's that?" he teased in a low voice.

She nibbled his ear as she whispered throatily, "Desired… sexy… loved."

Jethro lowered his lips to her neck, forcing her to abandon his ear. "You are all of the above and more." He smiled when he heard her moan, knowing that he'd hit the sensitive spot on her neck just right.

Both groaned when they heard Julia's cries. "Rain check?"

He nodded. "Bring her in here for feeding, okay?"

Jenny smirked. "You like to torture yourself?" He snorted as she headed off to retrieve the baby. She walked into the nursery. "What's with all the tears, Miss Julia? You'd think I'd left you in here for days. Poor thing, you never get any attention, do you?" she teased as she lifted her up to her shoulder. "Daddy wants to be a part of things, so we're going to the bedroom." She gently sat back down on their bed and lowered the spaghetti strap, giving her daughter access to latch on. Once she did, Jenny released a sigh of relief and smiled. She looked over at her husband and laughed, seeing the pleasure on his face.

"Can I help it if it still fascinates me?" he asked as he leaned across Jenny to gently kiss his daughter's head.

Both looked up when the door swung open and a groggy Sam, along with Simon, crawled up to join them. He stayed at the foot of the bed and put his head back down. "Sleepy."

Gibbs and Jenny looked at each other and tried not to laugh out loud. And so another day was underway.

Several hours later, the family was outside enjoying a rare sunny day. Gibbs sat on the swing, holding a fussy Julia in the crook of his arm while his free hand held a teething ring for her to chew and then ignore. He smiled as he watched Jenny and Sam happily kick a ball around. She was doing a good job of tiring him out, making him do the running.

He huffed. "No more."

Jenny smirked. "If you say so." She was relieved but wasn't about to let him know that. She joined her husband on the swing, taking Julia into her arms. Sam stood with his back to Gibbs, waiting. Jenny nudged her husband. "Lap," she said, as if it was completely obvious what the boy wanted.

Gibbs nodded and lifted Sam onto his lap. He leaned back, content to rest against his father's chest.

Jenny took over the rest of the swing with her legs up and leaned her head against Jethro's shoulder. He gladly put his arm around her, leaning his nose into her hair and breathing in her scent. Julia ignored the teething ring her mommy offered and instead cuddled against Jenny's chest. "Is it just me or has our life been absolutely insane?"

He snorted, amused by her gift for understatement.

Jenny glanced over her shoulder at her men. "A month ago you weren't even walking without help, a few weeks ago we had the wedding and the two week honeymoon… then you came into our lives," she said, reaching a hand around to tickle Sam, who giggled. She shook her head in disbelief. "I've heard of whirlwinds but this has been unreal."

Jethro raised an eyebrow. "Feeling overwhelmed, Mrs. Gibbs?"

"Mrs. Gibbs," she smiled. She jumped a bit when she felt her phone vibrate. "Mrs. Gibbs," she answered, smirking at her husband.

Jackson Gibbs smiled. "Well, hello there Mrs. Gibbs."

Jenny straightened up a bit. "Jack, how are you?"

"Good. Are you and Leroy at work?"

She eyed her husband. "No, we're at home."

"You are? I've been knocking for the last five minutes."

"You're here?" she asked, obviously surprised.

Gibbs cringed. "Forgot he was coming today."

"Noemi must be at the grocery store still," she mused. "Leave your things at the door and come around back." She ended the call and sat up. "Want to get him?"

Gibbs nodded. "I have a surprise for you, Sam." He saw the boy's eyes widen and smiled. "You're about to meet your grandpa."

"I have one? Like other boys?" he marveled.

Jenny looked at Gibbs, surprised. He nodded his head, indicating that Steve and Vivienne's parents were indeed dead. She sighed, saddened by that new piece of the puzzle.

Gibbs lifted Sam over his shoulders. "Let's go." The boy clapped as they headed towards the side of the house.

Jack was at the gate and his eyes zeroed in on his approaching grandson. He smiled as his breath caught in his throat. The boy's resemblance to his son at that age, at least around the eyes, was remarkable. "So this is my grandson?"

Both Jack and Gibbs were shocked when Sam dove over Gibbs' head into his grandfather's arms.

The eldest Gibbs smiled, holding the boy. Sam looked at him with wonder.

Jenny, holding a sleepy Julia, wandered over. "Can anyone join this party?" She kissed Jack on the cheek. "Good to see you."

"Look at my beautiful daughter-in-law and granddaughter. I swear she's grown in a couple of weeks."

Jenny smirked. "Well, I did eat a lot on the honeymoon," she teased.

Jack laughed. "I know you know who I meant."

Sam was anxious to have the attention back and patted Jack on the chest. "Want to see my room, Tampa?"

Gibbs snorted. "Yeah, Tampon, want to come see his room?"

Jenny rolled her eyes at her husband and punched him on the shoulder. "Be good," she warned playfully.

Everyone headed into the house, with Sam leading Jack by the hand up to his room. Wanting to give them some time alone to get to know each other, Gibbs went to the front door to bring in his father's stuff while Jenny put Julia down in her crib. There was a lot of activity in the house, and it made her happy since she hadn't had much experience with that in her life… siblings, grandparents, two parents… it was all wonderfully overwhelming. It wasn't long before Jethro joined her in the nursery.

He walked over to Jenny and put his arm around her, peering into the crib to take a look at their daughter. She melted into his side, slipping her arm around his waist. "I can't believe how quickly Sam's taken to Jack. I thought he'd be shy and awkward."

"You missed him leaping over my head into Dad's arms. Couldn't believe it," he chuckled.

Jenny put her other arm around him, threading her fingers together. "It's good to see him becoming more comfortable here. I love your idea of doing things to make the room feel more like his."

Gibbs kissed the top of her head. "Yeah, he deserves that. I don't want him to feel like he's a guest here."

She nodded and took a deep breath. "So should we continue avoiding the elephant in the room with this small talk or should we… really talk?" She felt him immediately tense up in her arms.

"Not sure how much time we have," he shrugged.

She nodded. "Maybe just start with telling me where you were yesterday for the entire morning?"

He turned towards her so they were facing each other rather than side-by-side. "Promise you won't freak out?" Now it was his turn to feel her tense up.

Jenny couldn't imagine where he could have gone that would make her freak out but contemplating the possibilities was starting to make her feel sick. "Just tell me."

He nodded. "I was at—"

Before he could tell her, Sam came in dragging Jack. "Can we have lunch, Gummy?"

Jack smiled. "You're going to have to explain how _that_ nickname came to pass."

Gibbs saw the stress on Jenny's face and knew he couldn't leave her hanging like that. "Later, Dad. Noemi should be back. Sam, take Grandpa with you to the kitchen and ask her about it. We'll be there shortly."

He turned back to Jenny with an apologetic look. She waved him off. "Just spit it out, Jethro." They made sure to keep their voices low, not wanting to wake up the baby.

"I went to the cemetery." He could tell she was trying to not have a reaction but it looked like the wind had been knocked out of her. "You brought up Kelly and it really… it hurt, Jen. I realized I hadn't gone to see her since you came back into my life."

Jenny steadied herself by holding onto the crib, nodding a few times before she looked over her shoulder at him. "I get it," she admitted softly.

He was pleasantly surprised by her reaction. Knowing how jealous she used to be of Shannon, he was afraid that sore wound would flare again. "Really?"

She let go of the crib and turned towards him, placing a hand on her hip and the other running through her hair. "Yeah. I pushed you, so of course you went there. Did talking to her help?"

He nodded. "I talked to both of them."

She tried to keep her face unchanged. "Oh, I know that."

He stayed glued to the spot he was in, not sure how to react to her. "Yeah, it helped."

Jenny finally looked at him and nodded tightly. "I'm glad." She reached for the baby monitor. "We should probably go to the kitchen," she said, trying to walk past him.

Gibbs grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Please don't go yet."

They locked eyes for a few seconds before she lowered her head. "It's okay."

He took her in his arms. "If that were true, you'd be looking me in the eye. You're wired super tight." He removed the baby monitor from her hand and placed it behind her on the changing table. "Talk to me." He could tell she was fighting something within her, and it was starting to worry him. "Is this about me going to see them at the cemetery?"

She shook her head, her pulse racing. "God, Jethro," she cried out as quietly as she could. "It's just bringing all those feelings from yesterday back. I was so fucking scared. I've never felt like that in my life – even with Kort and that's saying something."

"I was scared too," he managed, holding her tightly against him. "And I was so upset and wanted to comfort you – to get comfort from you and you pushed me away, Jen. We needed each other."

She burst into tears in his arms, completely worked up. "All I could think of was how we almost lost another baby and I know I asked if you could survive that – but what I was really thinking… feeling… was knowing that _I _couldn't survive it. And I just wanted to know why - why didn't you take my warning seriously?" she asked, pounding her fists on his chest.

He let go of her like she was on fire and covered his eyes with his hands, devastated. "Damn it, Jenny - I made a mistake! I turned my back for only a few seconds! It wasn't that I didn't take you seriously – how could I know Sam would do something like _that_? How would anyone?"

For some reason, seeing him so upset calmed her down – perhaps knowing now how seriously he was taking it – had taken it. And he was right – it was an _accident_ on Jethro's part - how could he have known? She nodded. "You're right. I know in my head you are. It was just… I was freaked completely out. I saw Sam with that pillow over her, looking like he was going to kill our baby and I - _lost_ it. I'm so sorry, Jethro. It wasn't fair to you." She took him in her arms as she cried – and he had a few tears escaping too, both letting out all of the feelings that had been overwhelming them and finally comforting each other.

"She's okay. We're all okay," he soothed, rubbing her back.

"Sam, what are you doing just standing here outside the nursery?" asked Jack.

Jenny and Jethro paled at his words and quickly ran to the door. He swung it open and found his son looking terrified… with tears streaming down his face.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Want to wish all who celebrate a very Happy Easter, and I hope that my Jewish readers enjoyed Passover.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"Sam, what are you doing just standing here outside the nursery?" asked Jack.

Jenny and Jethro paled at his words and quickly ran to the door. He swung it open and found his son looking terrified… with tears streaming down his face.

Gibbs and Jenny were immediately kneeling at his side, showering the boy with attention and horrified by what he might have overheard. "What's wrong?" he asked, gripping his son's shoulder.

"You okay, monkey?" soothed Jenny, as she ran her hand over his head and kissed him on it.

Sam began to calm down enough to speak, trying to wipe away his own tears. "I… I…" he stuttered as his lower lip jutted out. "I hear my name an then you cry," he managed, his eyes wide as saucers as he looked at Jenny. "Are you senging me away?"

They felt horrible he thought that but a bit relieved he didn't really understand what they _had_ said. Both adults immediately denied his fears, flooding him with hugs and kisses. When Sam became clingy and only wanted Jenny, Gibbs motioned for his father to follow him.

"Jen, you two stay here – we'll call you when lunch is ready." After she nodded, father and son walked out of earshot.

"What's going on?" Jack was concerned, having no idea about the latest developments.

They sat down at the kitchen table while Noemi fixed lunch for everyone. Gibbs sighed as he looked at his father. "Sam's mother didn't make it." He saw the shock on his face. "She developed an infection, and it went from bad to lethal within a few hours."

Jack looked towards the nursery. "That poor boy."

Gibbs nodded. "Then yesterday, I turned my back for only a few seconds, I swear."

Jack saw the haunted look on his son's face. "What happened, Leroy?"

"Jen walked in and caught Sam trying to smother the baby with a pillow cause she was crying and I was on the phone."

"Oh my God. But I saw her, she's okay right?"

He closed his eyes and nodded, still traumatized by the memory. "Jules is fine. But it was rough for me and Jen. She blamed me."

Jack was incredulous. "Son, you can't watch kids every second. Accidents happen."

He shook his head and whispered, "She warned me. She said Sam was showing signs of being jealous of Julia and that I should…" he sighed. "That I should _be aware_. First chance I turn my back. Idiot. Then she said some things and well… like I said, it's been rough."

Jack touched his arm sympathetically. "Is that why she was crying?"

Gibbs leaned back and rubbed his neck, the tension getting to him. "Actually that was probably good crying. We talked things out, shared with each other… but not anything we'd want a child to overhear."

The elder man nodded. "They seem tight. Jenny adjusting okay to having Sam?"

At that question, Gibbs was finally able to smile. "She worries but she is an incredible mom. Her instincts… blow me away almost daily. Sam's taken to her faster than he has to me, except when he starts to feel guilt about his mom. Then… then it's a little bumpy again. It's been a roller coaster," he sighed. "Really glad you're here."

Jack smiled. "Yeah?"

His son laughed. "Yeah! Did you see him leap into your arms? He hasn't taken to anyone like that. But you're his only grandparent. He was real excited to hear he had one."

The older man chuckled. "He looks just like you did at that age."

He smiled. "Jen says the same thing."

"Senor Gibbs, lunch is ready. You want I should get senora?"

He shook his head. "Be right back, Dad." Gibbs looked for them in Sam's room first but found them in the nursery instead. Jenny had the boy cradled in her arms while swaying back and forth in the rocking chair. She was quietly singing the Beatles song, "Blackbird," while Sam basked in her undivided attention. Gibbs leaned against the doorframe, mesmerized by the scene in front of him.

Jenny felt his eyes on her and looked up. She was just finishing the song anyway and lightly kissed the boy on his nose. "I think lunch is ready."

Sam turned his head into Jenny, nuzzling her – showing no interest in getting up.

Gibbs snorted. "Can you really blame him? He's got the best seat in town." He walked over to them and nudged the boy. "You really don't want to keep Grandpa waiting, do you? Noemi made grilled cheese sandwiches. They're still warm and gooey, just the way you said you like 'em."

"OK. I get down now, Gummy."

He watched his son scoot off to the kitchen. Gibbs knelt down in front of his wife, situating himself between her knees. As he looked in her eyes, he rested his strong hands on her knees, rubbing her thighs back and forth. He slipped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him and rested his head against her chest. "Thank you."

She put her arms around his shoulders, kissing the top of his head before she slid gently off the chair, straddling him. "We sure dodged a bullet."

He held her close, burying his face in her hair. "Yeah."

Jenny leaned back a tiny bit, caressing his face with her cheek. "As good as this feels, we'd better go to the kitchen," she whispered into his ear. She then pulled farther back and stared into his eyes. "We're okay, right?"

He nodded. "Much better, I hope." When she smiled, it made his heart feel lighter. They kissed lightly on the lips, the promise of more sometime later unspoken but understood. He put his hands on her hips and helped lift her to a standing position.

She then helped him up. "Come on big guy. You can do it." The redhead laughed, mirth in her eyes when she saw him glare at her for the comment.

He placed his arm out, allowing her to pass and when she did, grabbing the baby monitor, he slapped her playfully on the ass.

Jenny turned around, and her eyes flared with mock surprise. She primly wagged a finger his direction, pretending to reprimand him. But she quickly recognized the look on his face and ran shrieking towards the kitchen - but it didn't matter. He caught up to her there and began tickling her mercilessly until she crumbled to the floor, laughing and begging for mercy. Sam immediately put his food down and joined in the fun, jumping on Jenny trying to tickle her. She laughed even harder as both her guys continued the torture. "Stop, stop – I'm crying uncle," she pleaded.

Gibbs and Sam stopped for a few moments and looked at each other, debating whether or not to continue.

Jenny turned the tables and began tickling Sam, his giggling music to their ears. The torment turned to hugs and kisses before Jack prodded all of them to not insult Noemi by letting her fabulous lunch go to waste. Feeling duly chastised, all three stood up and made their way to the table for a pleasant lunch.

Soon after lunch, Gibbs drove his father and son to the home improvement store for paint, wood and some male bonding. He placed a nervous Sam on his shoulders as they walked around, gathering all the necessary things to fix up the little boy's room.

Back at the house, Jenny was cuddling on the living room couch with Julia, after having fed and changed the baby into a cute little pair of black pants with an adorable panda embossed shirt. She propped her up against her raised knees, rubbing her belly. "Who is the cutest baby in the world?" Julia smiled as she reached for her toes, gleefully making various cooing sounds as she drooled. Jenny sighed, knowing the adorable outfit probably wouldn't last until grandpa saw it. "Are your gums okay, sweet girl?"

Noemi walked in with the mail, smiling. "Senora, something came for princesa."

Jenny smiled. "Did you hear that, Julia? You got a package." She raised an eyebrow. "Were you letting her shop online again?" Realizing she confused the poor woman, she placed a hand on hers. "I was making a joke. Please sit." Jenny swung her legs around, making room for the woman to sit down. She readjusted her daughter on her lap.

Noemi smiled, reaching into the box. "This," she said handing Jenny the gift. "From my sister. Worked for hers and mine."

She carefully examined the object in her hand and looked at the card. "An amber teething necklace? So Julia is supposed to chew on this?"

"Oh no, Senora. Wear it. Not chew. Healing powers."

Jenny was a bit confused but smiled broadly. "This is very sweet of you and your sister, Noemi. Thank you. What do you say, Julia? Want to try this on?" She gently placed it around her daughter's neck.

"Only in day. No wear at night."

Jenny nodded. When Noemi asked to spend some time with Julia, since she rarely got to see the baby, she handed her daughter over proudly. Relief flooded over Jenny when Julia didn't fuss, so she motioned she was headed to the study for a few minutes. Once in there, the anxious mother immediately searched for information online about the tiny piece of jewelry.

After reading a few websites, Jenny was pleasantly surprised by the claims of its alternative healing properties. Figuring it couldn't hurt, she was willing to try anything to lessen her baby's pain. Satisfied, she headed back to the living room when her cell phone vibrated.

She looked at the caller ID and smiled. "_Yes_, Special Agent DiNozzo?"

Tony cringed. "Yikes. Am I in trouble?"

"For blabbing to your… what the hell _are_ you two? Oh right, she said friends with benefits. Yes, you're in trouble, blabbermouth."

He snorted. "In my own defense, it seemed like you could use a friend to talk to, and I know you've turned to her in the past."

Jenny softened. "She did help. So you're forgiven – this time. Just don't go making a habit of it, is that understood?"

"Crystal, ma'am."

Jenny smirked. "So I'm guessing you called for a reason?"

He chuckled to himself. "That I did. The team wants to bring over dinner but I thought since things were a bit tense earlier, calling first might be appreciated."

"Thank you, Tony. I do appreciate that." She really did. Perhaps telling them to call first for the last four months had finally sunk in. "Can you give me five minutes, and I'll call you right back?" After getting the okay from Jethro, she called the special agent back and told him to make sure Ducky and Abby knew about the evening.

A while later, Jenny and Julia welcomed home the Gibbs men. "Since we're having company tonight, I think someone better take a nap."

When Sam noticed that all eyes were on him, he whined, "No, I want to stay with Gibbs and Tampa. We're gonna paint my room."

Jack put his finger under the boy's chin, tilting his head up at him. "There'll be plenty of time for that. You listen to Jenny. If she says it's nap time, you say 'yes, ma'am.' Right?"

Sam was stunned into silence for a moment while Gibbs and Jenny looked at each other and smiled. The boy swallowed as he looked at Jenny and nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

They watched as he stomped his way to his room.

Jenny handed Julia over to her husband and then hugged her father-in-law. "That was awesome. Think you can work that magic on your son too?"


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: I meant to thank AliyahNCIS in the previous chapter for her suggestion about the amber teething necklace. Here's hoping it eventually helps poor Julia. Thanks to all of you for continuing to read. I thought the one shot I just did for Lost & Found would put me far behind but it's Tuesday and here this is on schedule. Yay! Miracles happen, and it's not even December!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Abby and McGee were waiting patiently at their bosses' door, hoping for entry sometime this evening. They could hear Sam begging to open the door, and Gibbs ordering him back - something about the young boy not getting the honor since he refused to put his shoes on.

Finally the door opened, and they saw Jack's welcoming smile. "Abby! If you aren't a sight for these sore eyes," he said as he hugged her. He then clasped McGee on the shoulder. "Good to see you too, Tim."

He laughed. "I know I ride her coattails, don't worry."

Jack laughed. "Good man."

Sam ran over and hugged the Goth's legs. "Abby!"

She put her hands on her hips and cocked her head, her ponytails moving back and forth. "Where are your shoes, young man?"

He paled. "Um… but…"

She raised her eyebrows at him and pointed towards his room. Sam sighed dramatically and stomped off that direction. Abby smirked at Gibbs, whose mouth was hanging open. "What can I say, I have the magic touch."

McGee was amused. "And a slight height advantage."

"Last time I checked, I was bigger than a 4-year-old too," joked Jenny, knowing she'd probably flustered him.

"Well, yes ma'am but um…"

"We're not back to ma'am, are we? I'm not even in a suit." She smiled at Abby, handing Julia over to her. "If you make this one stop being fussy, I might not let you leave."

"How are you, Miss Julia?" cooed Abby. "What's got you grumpy? Oooh… and drooling. Oh right, teething," she said sympathetically. She smiled when Jenny put a towel on her shoulder. "Thanks."

The doorbell rang again and before Gibbs could get there, Sam came out of nowhere and tried to run past him. Instead he got swept up in his father's arms. "Where do you think you're going?"

The boy held up his shoes. "I have 'em!"

"They aren't _on_," growled Gibbs.

"Abby," whined Sam - but then he saw she was holding Julia. His lower lip popped out. "I want Abby to help me put my shoes on."

Abby looked at them all, obviously feeling torn. She quickly opened the door, relieved to find Ducky. "Guess who you get to calm down," she said as she handed off Julia and the towel. She then took Sam into the living room to help him with his shoes.

"Ah, Princess Julia. While I'm quite thrilled to hold you, I haven't even had the chance to dispose of my coat."

Jenny laughed, shaking her head. "Sorry about that, Ducky. Why don't you give me Julia," she offered. She saw a look of sadness cross his face. "Only for a second. I'll give her right back, don't worry."

Gibbs took the older man's coat, chuckling to himself.

Ducky's eyes lit up when the baby was returned to him, along with a towel - placed over his shoulder. Julia smiled at him, and he was very happy.

"I see that granddaughter of mine can still work her magic, even on an old codger."

Ducky laughed, extending his hand. "Good to see you again, Jack. Ah, you came to meet the new grandson, didn't you?"

"I sure did. He's something else."

"Indeed," agreed the M.E.

Jenny looked around. "Where are Tony and Ziva?"

Abby and Sam, now wearing his shoes, joined everyone else. "They're picking up the food."

Jenny leaned against her husband. "Ziva is taking Shiva very seriously," she whispered.

He put his arms around her from behind and kissed her temple. "What do you mean?"

"Not letting us cook, taking care of us. It's very sweet," she said, caressing his hands as her head rested comfortably back against his chest. "Hey, how about if we move this into the living room?"

As everyone headed in there, the doorbell rang again. Gibbs was about to answer when Sam nudged him out of the way and shot him a look, pointing to his feet. "You're right. You get to answer the door." Gibbs turned to see if his wife was watching. If the fact that she was covering her mouth and her shoulders were shaking was any indication, he was pretty sure she witnessed it.

"Hilarious," she finally mouthed to him. He shrugged as he chuckled.

"Tony!" yelled Sam. "You're here!"

Ziva shook her head, amused at seeing the boy attack her partner's legs. "Great to see you too, Sam."

Tony nudged the boy, motioning towards her. "Oh… hi, Zee."

Abby came over to help them, grabbing some of the overflow bags. "Don't worry, Ziva. We're all chopped liver once Tony enters the room." She stopped short, realizing what she said. "Sorry Gibbs."

He took two bags and kissed her on the cheek. "Don't worry about it, Abs." He then motioned over his shoulder. "Living room."

"I sit next to Tony," insisted Sam.

Jenny greeted her friend with a kiss on both cheeks. "Shalom, Ziva. Thank you for this," she smiled. "So what is it?"

"I felt like doing something other than the usual pizza or subs, so we went to a Mediterranean restaurant."

Jack looked at his son. "But I like pizza and subs."

Sam nodded. "Me too, Tampa."

Gibbs grimaced. "Is there anything suitable for them?"

Ziva was trying to not feel insulted. "Try it first. If they do not like, I believe Tony got a small pizza for Sam," she sighed.

"Yay!" he yelled proudly.

"You can have some pizza after you try a few things, Sam." Jenny put her arm around Ziva's shoulder. "I, for one, am very excited to dig in. Reminds me of our time together in the Middle East." She grabbed some supplies and plated some of the various foods for her family to try.

Abby settled in with her plate and drink and winked at Gibbs before she looked at Jenny and Ziva. "We never get to hear anything about the time you two spent together on missions in the Middle East. I don't know about anyone else, but I'd love to hear a few stories."

Jenny handed a couple plates of food to her husband and then sat on his lap. "Did you pay her to ask that?"

He laughed. "Nooooo. But I wouldn't mind hearing."

Ziva was dipping her pita in some hummus. "Well, we could tell you…"

"But then we'd definitely have to kill you," finished Jenny. "Seriously. It was a joint operation with _Mossad_."

Abby scoffed. "I don't need to know about missions. I want to hear about your adventures during your down time," she encouraged, raising her eyebrows up and down.

Ziva laughed. "Oh, Jenny had _lots_ of those."

Gibbs didn't like what he was hearing. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Jenny shot her a look. "Zeeeeevah," she warned.

Tony laughed. "Oh no, you can't just leave us hanging with that."

"Perhaps digging into a woman's past is not the proper thing to do, especially when she is your boss," suggested Ducky.

"And can control whether or not you get the vacation leave you requested," added Jenny.

Ziva nodded. "Point taken."

Gibbs whispered in his wife's ear. "Sounds like we need to have a conversation."

Jenny grimaced, grateful that her back was to her husband since she was sitting on his lap. "Sam, did you try that? It's a stuffed grape leaf. Yummy."

"Yucky," he said, crinkling up his nose as he handed the rest of it to her.

"Well, thank you for trying it." She reached her arm behind her and smiled when she felt Gibbs take a bite. She then put the rest in her own mouth.

"Nice try at deflecting but I know you heard me," he whispered again in her ear. She turned around and shrugged, motioning that her mouth was too full to talk. He rolled his eyes.

"Can I have pizza now?"

Jenny swallowed. "Yes, go ahead. Don't forget to give some to Grandpa." She looked around and got an idea. "Anyone mind if I put a DVD in – I have something I think Jack, Ducky and Abby at least would love to see."

Gibbs froze. "What are you doing?"

"Dolphins," she drawled, as if to say, 'duh.'

He cleared his throat. "You're in a bathing suit."

She laughed as she slipped it into the machine. "Which you can barely see because of the life jacket."

"Okay, _I_ am in one."

She rolled her eyes. "And you look fantastic. Any more excuses?"

Abby's eyes widened. "Is this from your honeymoon?" Jenny nodded. "Yay," she clapped.

All eyes turned to the television, watching the DVD of Julia getting to touch the dolphins. Jenny settled back on her husband's lap, finishing her dinner and smiling at the footage. Jethro kissed her head, both enjoying themselves and seeing the reactions of those they knew would love it. What they didn't expect… or at least foresee… was Sam's reaction.

"I gon't wanna watch this," he yelled, stepping in front of the TV. "Let's show Tampa _my_ movie."

Jenny didn't have to turn around. She could feel her husband tense up.

Gibbs shared a look with his father before he crooked his finger towards his son. "Sam, come here."

The boy stomped over. "What?"

"We can watch your movie, but right now we're watching this one, okay? Can you be patient for me?"

"I gon't like it," he yelled again before storming off to his room.

Gibbs tapped Jenny to move so he could go after Sam. His father joined him and the two disappeared while all eyes turned to Jenny.

"We're dealing with some jealousy issues," she sighed. "Which reminds me, for any of you who may babysit – please don't leave Sam and Julia alone together."

Abby and Ducky, along with the others, all nodded but their confusion and shock was obvious.

"Thanks. Anyone want anything to drink? Wine?" After several answered in the affirmative, she smiled and headed for the kitchen.

Tony got up and followed her. When he arrived in the kitchen, her arms were braced on the counter and her head was down. "You okay, Jenny?"

"Yeah," she said, not even convincing herself.

Tony stood next to her. "What happened yesterday?" he asked quietly.

She bit her lip, contemplating if she should tell him. "I don't want to say anything that could affect your feelings towards Sam. He adores you so much."

Tony leaned his head back and sighed "That bad." He then looked at her. "Did it change how you feel about him?"

"I still love him, if that's what you're asking… but," she sighed. "I'd be lying if I didn't say he scares me a little bit."

Tony felt like he could barely breathe. "What happened?" he asked, fear obvious in his voice. "I heard you screaming… it sounded… primal."

Jenny turned around and leaned against the counter, her face in her hands. When she finally pulled herself back together, she looked at Tony. "I walked in and found him smothering Julia with a pillow," she whispered. The look of horror on Tony's face made her instantly regret telling him. "He said it was because she was crying, and he knew Gibbs was on the phone… that he just wanted her to be quiet."

"Because I had called," he said, wincing at the thought. "Damn it."

"It's not your fault, Tony. It's not anyone's fault. It's just…" she broke off, not even knowing what else she could say. "I'll tell you though, I've never been so scared in my life."

Tony put his arm around Jenny, trying to comfort her.

Both turned when they heard someone clearing their throat. Tony immediately removed his arm from around her when he saw Gibbs.

Jenny held out her hand to her husband. "Want to make it a group hug?" she smiled weakly.

"I don't think so," he said, unfazed. He motioned for Tony to leave.

"Thanks Jenny."

"Tony, wait." She reached for a bottle of wine, an opener and a few glasses. "Can you take this in? I'll bring a few more glasses in a minute." He nodded, took what she handed him and left.

Gibbs put his arms around her. "You told him about yesterday?"

"Yeah," she said, holding him close. "I told everyone if they babysit to not leave the two kids alone. He was on the phone with you yesterday – he had questions."

"You don't have to explain." He could feel her relax a bit. "We talked to Sam."

She leaned back so she could see his face. "And?"

"Not like I didn't believe you, but oh yeah… there's definitely jealousy issues," he sighed.

She could tell something was bothering him. "What else?"

"First Ziva talks about your 'adventures' and now I find you looking all cozy with DiNozzo," he frowned.

"That's so cute," she said, looking awfully pleased with herself. "Sam isn't the only one with jealousy issues?"

He glared. "Has anything ever…" He let the question hang there, to see if she avoided or dealt with it.

Jenny's shoulders sagged as she left his embrace to lean against the counter again. "It's not what you're thinking."

He shook his head in disbelief. "I don't even know what I'm thinking."

"Can't we talk about this later?" She could tell by the look on his face there was no possibility of that. "Fine," she sighed. "The night you… quit…"

"I retired," he injected.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever - I got ripped. I mean, I drank so much bourbon I could barely see straight."

"Why?"

Jenny looked at him, incredulous. "You broke my heart. First I think you're going to die, then I learn you had kept such a huge secret from me… you stared at my ass… all these thoughts went through my head and you didn't stick around! You walked out on me… on all of us."

He rubbed his forehead. "You're not even making sense."

"Do you want to hear it or not?"

He held up his hands in surrender. "Okay."

"You know what happens when I get that drunk."

Gibbs smirked. "You strip off your clothes. Like in Paris." She nodded. "And Tony walked in?"

"He was already there. We talked for a long time. He was hurt by you too. I'd say we were doing shots, but not sure we used glasses. I think we were drinking from the bottle."

Gibbs rubbed his neck, not enjoying what he was hearing. "Go on."

"He tried to get me to put my clothes back on, but well…"

"Yeah, I know how hard that can be." He made her look in his eyes. "Did you sleep with him?"

She shook her head. "He was a complete gentleman. Said something about it would be taking advantage. He didn't even let me kiss him. He made me lie down on the couch and put a blanket over me. He then slept in a chair to keep an eye on me."

"And the next morning?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. "Wasn't happy to wake up in my bra and underwear with Tony sleeping nearby, I can tell you that. But he was very discreet, and it impressed me. Two weeks later I gave him the undercover assignment."

"Wow," he sighed.

Jenny walked over to him and whispered, "I wanted to use him to obliterate you from my mind, and he didn't let me. I trust him. You should too."

He looked at her for a few moments before he responded, "I wouldn't have him on my team if I didn't."

"I'm glad," she said quietly. "We good?"

"I guess that earned him the right to call you Jenny." She nodded. "It kills me to think he's seen that much of you but…"

"If it helps, not sure how attractive I was being that drunk."

He put his arms around her. "It depends who's doing the looking." He leaned down and kissed her deeply. "Thanks for being honest with me." She smiled. "Now… about those adventures Ziva spoke of…"


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: I want to explain the reasoning a bit behind last chapter's Jenny/Tony reveal. I was trying to explain why neither batted an eye, in the episode called Blowback, when he walked in on Cynthia fixing Jenny's bra, which had broken in the back. That scene always struck me as VERY odd... and I think they were trying to make viewers think they "might" be sleeping together. So I put my own spin - but it would explain why it wouldn't bother him - he'd seen it already! Thanks again to everyone for reading and especially to those who leave a review – very much appreciated!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"Now… about those adventures Ziva spoke of…" Jenny started to walk away but Gibbs reached for her arm to stop her. "Pretty please?"

She rolled her eyes. "Come on, we've been gone too long."

He sighed, shaking his head. "Oh, I'll get it out of one of you eventually."

Jenny approached him again, squeezing his sides. "Careful what you wish for." She then turned on her heel and headed back to the living room.

"Tease," he growled, slightly amused. He was about to leave when Tony entered.

"Your wife forgot to bring more glasses." He walked over to the cabinet and got down a couple more. Once satisfied, he turned around to leave.

"DiNozzo, wait." When he turned back, Gibbs continued. "Can we talk a sec?"

Tony's eyes widened, a bit nervous. "Um, sure." He put the glasses back down on the counter and gave his full attention to his boss.

Gibbs slipped his hands into his pockets, feeling a bit uncomfortable but knowing he needed to say what was on his mind. "Jen told me about what happened between you two the night I retired."

The very special agent paled. "Um, I don't know what she told you, but I barely saw anything boss."

The older man rolled his eyes. "I've seen her that way too. I have a pretty good idea what you saw." Tony cringed. "Fact is, you didn't take advantage and even took care of her. Appreciate it."

Tony half smiled and nodded.

"And even though I wish you'd called, you also took good care of my son."

The younger man stood a tiny bit taller, his chest puffed out a little bit.

"You've grown up a lot over the years. You're a damn good agent and apparently a better friend to me than I realized."

Tony's face revealed the shock he was feeling.

Gibbs scoffed. "Don't let it go to your head, DiNozzo," he joked as he walked past him, grabbing the glasses on his way.

A minute or so later, Ziva walked in and glanced at her partner, confused. "I do not understand. You are not on the floor."

Tony snapped out of it and focused on her. "Huh?"

"Gibbs said I should go to the kitchen and pick you up off the floor."

Tony chuckled. "It's a saying, Ziva. He didn't mean it literally."

"What does it mean then?"

"It's when someone's in shock. In this case, it's because he actually said something nice to me."

"Ah," she nodded. "Considering how he has been lately, of course you would fall on the floor."

He started to correct her but decided to let it go.

The evening proceeded nicely, with everyone trying to pay special attention to Sam - after all; he was the reason they were there. The young boy was standing between Gibbs and Tony as he shared memories about special things his mommy did to take care of him and why he loved her so much.

Jenny smiled reassuringly at him as she sat on the other end of the couch with Julia. After a while it was becoming obvious he was tired. "Sam, what do you say we get ready for bed? I'll feed Julia and read you a book?"

He shook his head. "No, Gummy. Not sleepy."

Several of those gathered reacted to the nickname, looking at her strangely. Tony smirked. "Is he calling you, Dummy?"

"Even if you thought that, Tony, I can't believe you said it out loud," admonished McGee.

"Shut up, McSuckup. Well?" he looked at Jenny, pointedly, not even bothering to hide the fact he was snickering.

Sam tapped Tony on the arm. "That's not nice, Tony."

Jenny was beaming. "That's right, Sam. Tony's not being nice, is he?"

"How'd you come up with Gummy then, Sam?" asked Abby innocently.

He looked helplessly at Jenny and then at Gibbs.

"He has always called her Genny, and I think one evening he was so tired he mixed it up with Mommy or Mummy. We thought of it was sweet… like a Gummy bear and squishy," he smiled teasingly at her.

Having remembered when Sam said that he walked in on Gibbs 'squishing' Jenny, McGee, Ziva and Tony all choked on their drinks or started coughing.

Jenny narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing," coughed Tony.

Sam smiled. "They like the worg squishy. I tol them about the time I see you –"

Ziva recovered first and interrupted. "It is okay, Sam. We just like to laugh at funny words."

Gibbs wasn't buying it. "What were you about to say, Sam?"

The threesome groaned, covering their faces.

"When I walk in and see you squishing Genny. You weren't sleeping."

Jenny got it first and covered her face with her free hand, looking through her fingers at her husband. "Oh God," she laughed. "He told you all about that?"

The three nodded, a bit embarrassed.

Gibbs turned to face his wife, confused. She shot him a look, as if to say 'duh,' and he realized what she meant. He snorted, obviously rather proud of himself. He glanced at his father, who didn't seem to be paying much attention while Ducky was slowly shaking his head, obviously not surprised by their antics.

Abby glanced over her shoulder at Jenny. "Trying to make more Jibblets?" she asked, pursing her lips.

Jenny started to answer but realized it was a losing proposition and simply rolled her eyes. "All right, enough. Come on, Sam. Say goodnight to everyone."

"No," he whined. It was more of a pathetic whine than angry, since he was really too tired to put up a fight. He collapsed to the ground and dissolved into tears. "I'm not sleepy."

Jenny sighed, reaching her hand out to take his. "You're kinda proving my point, monkey. Come on."

"It's okay, Sam. We'll come back to see you soon," offered Tony. Ziva, McGee and Abby immediately voiced their agreement.

"Noooo," he screamed as he ran off to his room.

Jenny put her free hand on her hip, looked at everyone and shook her head. She blew a few wispy bangs out of her eyes and sighed. "And with that, I bid you all goodnight."

Gibbs watched her go, trying not to laugh.

After Gibbs saw everyone out, he made his way to the nursery. He opened the door gently and smiled when he saw Sam in his pajamas, cuddled into Jenny on one side while Julia breastfed on the other. Jenny was reading a Dr. Seuss book, which Sam was holding, and both looked up briefly when he entered. "You want to take over reading, Daddy?"

"Nah, you've already started. I'll just listen." He pulled over the step stool and sat by her leg, rubbing his hand along it.

Jenny was finding it hard to concentrate on reading and found herself grateful when Julia fell asleep. "Jethro, can you get her?"

He grabbed a towel and reached for the baby, gently relaxing her against his shoulder while Jenny finished reading the book to Sam.

The boy yawned after closing the book. "I go sleep now." He crawled off her lap and reached for Jenny's hand to walk her back to his room.

Jenny smiled at her husband, leaving him to put their daughter down in her crib.

Gibbs held the baby up in front of him. "Don't you look adorable in your purple pajamas? You know," he began, cradling her in his arms, "Daddy loves you very much, Jules." He kissed her cheek before he gently laid her down. "You're safe with me. Please know that I will never let anything happen to you." He stared at her, caressing her head for a few minutes before he turned out the light and left. He walked to Sam's room and found Jenny putting another book away.

"Shhh," she mouthed, putting her finger to her lips. She watched as Jethro walked over to Sam, kissed him on the head and whispered what she assumed was 'good night' into his hair. They threaded their hands and walked back to their bedroom. "Is Jack settled in?"

"Yeah, he'll be fine. He knows the drill." Gibbs quickly changed and then went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. After he was done, he sat up in bed and waited for Jenny to finish getting ready.

She approached the bed. "Uh oh. What's going on?"

He patted the covers, motioning for her to join him. "Oh nothing. We're just going to have a little talk."

Jenny smiled. "Oh we are, are we? What about?"

He reached for her legs and gently threw them over his own, massaging her calves. "You're hopefully going to tell me what you're afraid Ziva may share about your time together."

Jenny placed her hands behind her for leverage and leaned back. "Why would I want to do that when you're giving me this great massage?"

"Because you love me and want to satisfy my curiosity?" he offered.

"Or maybe I'm not telling you _because_ I love you. Ever think of that?"

He scoffed. "What could be so bad? You said you hadn't been with anyone since me." He felt her tense up immediately. He looked at her and saw her shocked expression.

"Jethro, when I said that I meant _been_…" she said dramatically, gesturing with one hand. "As in made love to, had a boyfriend, any of that. I didn't mean I hadn't had _sex_ in a decade." She saw him pale a bit. "I was undercover for God's sake. You really didn't think I'd have at least one target I had to bed?"

He scrubbed his hand down his face. "Well, I did think it was strange! I know your needs. Had a hard time picturing you going without for that long."

She rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it."

"Jen!" He wasn't happy, but he understood. "Damn. So these adventures were sexual exploits? I really don't want to hear about those."

"Finally, we're on the same page," she sighed. "I couldn't understand why you were egging her on to spill. I don't want to hear about yours." She pulled her legs back and leaned into him, her hand on his chest. "But… none of it was good sex. That I can promise you. Because no one but you has any clue how to satisfy me."

He had no idea if she was serious or trying to be cute but he smiled proudly regardless. "Can I satisfy you now?" he asked, trying to turn her face towards him so he could kiss her.

She gave him a peck on the lips. "No. I'm exhausted. Rain check?"

He growled, "Not fair, Jen. Now I feel like I have to _make sure_ I can satisfy you. After that talk and hearing about DiNozzo…"

She slid under the covers, rolling her eyes. She turned to face him one last time before going to sleep. "Cool your jets down, lover," she teased, drawing out the last word in a teasing fashion. "You'll get your chance. Preferably at a time without your dad and the kids in the house - and me more awake," she said, tapping him playfully on his cheek. She turned over, shut her lamp and settled in.

Gibbs huffed, not happy at all. He turned off his lamp and tried to relax. It took a while, but he finally drifted off to sleep. At least he suspected it was sleep. But horrible images began to plague him.

_He was in Jenny's office. She was with DiNozzo, drinking heavily. He was in the room but powerless to stop what was happening. Instead, he was forced to watch._

"_Oh Tony?" she drawled, before taking another swig from the bottle of bourbon. "This shirt is feeling way too heavy."_

_Gibbs began to panic. "Don't do it, Jenny! Keep it on!" He felt foolish yelling at her when she obviously couldn't hear him but he knew he had to try. It felt so real._

_Tony smirked as he watched Jenny pull it over her head haphazardly. "It is a bit hot in here, isn't it?"_

_Gibbs watched helplessly as Tony's eyes focused on Jenny's breasts, which were only partially covered by her lace bra. "I swear Tony, you'd better look away or I will beat the hell out of you."_

_Jenny sighed. "And these pants. They're so annoying."_

"_You'd better get rid of those too," encouraged Tony. He then positioned himself behind her to watch as she bent over, removing the offending garment one leg at a time while keeping her 5-inch heels on. _

_Gibbs tried to hit Tony but his hand kept going right through him. He tried to cover Jenny up, but he couldn't pick up a blanket. He watched as she sat back down and cozied up to DiNozzo._

"_Much better now," she sighed dramatically. What happened next made Gibbs freeze on the spot._

"_Kiss me, Tony. I haven't really been kissed, I mean with sincere passion… in so long. Do you think you're up to the challenge?"_

_Tony smiled. "Oh I'm up."_

_Gibbs groaned. "Stop this!" He watched as Tony and Jenny kissed deeply, his hands going places that made Gibbs want to kill him. "Stop this!" Suddenly he was able to feel something. Someone was shaking him._

"Gibbs, wake up."

His eyes tried to focus. He looked up and saw Sam and Jenny staring at him. The boy pet his hair gently. "It's okay. Just a scary gream. I'm here. You safe."

"Thanks, Sam," he said, trying to relax. While Gibbs was grateful for the sweet moment, he really was regretting his son's presence in their bed. All he wanted was to screw his wife senseless. Instead, all he got was an impish grin from her, and the knowledge that there was no way he'd be sleeping again anytime soon.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Just to let you know, I have a busy week coming up so I have no idea if I'll have time to write. I will try to update but needless to say, I'm not putting out a schedule. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was Saturday morning. Gibbs woke up, needing very much to cuddle with Jenny. He glanced over to her side of the bed and noticed Sam was still sleeping between them. He lifted himself up on his elbow, a big smile on his face as he peered down at both of their sleeping forms. Realizing that touching his wife wasn't in the cards, he quietly slipped out of bed, threw on a T-shirt and headed to the kitchen to make coffee. Along the way, he opened the door to the nursery and saw that Julia was still sleeping. He leaned his head against the doorway, taking a moment to enjoy the peace and quiet.

A few minutes after he started the coffee, his father walked in.

"We're the first ones up?" Gibbs nodded and moved the newspaper across the counter towards Jack. "Something in particular you wanted me to see?"

"Vivienne's obit. Still can't believe she's gone," sighed Gibbs. "Funeral is Monday."

"Want me to stay for it?"

Gibbs rarely felt comfortable asking anything of anyone, but for his son's sake, he made an exception. He nodded tightly. "If you can."

Jack, knowing his son well, was moved. "Of course, I can. Leroy, you still haven't told me anything about her. This was before Jenny?"

Gibbs poured them both some coffee and then joined his father at the table. "Technically in between. Jen was overseas working in the Middle East," he sighed. "Viv was a great gal, full of life. But we were always casual - no strings."

Jack nodded. "She didn't want those strings, or you didn't?"

He thought about the question. "Both. It was fun while it lasted. She met Steve, so she stopped calling."

"And you?"

Gibbs shrugged. "Who knows? Probably cause Jen came back. Not that anything happened with us, but maybe seeing her reminded me of what it was like when I did want more. And suddenly having casual was no longer appealing. I don't know," he mused, taking another sip of coffee. His eyes lit up when Jenny walked into the room carrying an antsy Julia and a bottle.

Jack loved seeing the affect his daughter-in-law had on his son. It felt good to see him happy again.

"Good morning, Daddy and Grandpa," she smiled, kissing her daughter's head. "I thought one of you might like the chance to feed Julia."

Jack immediately reached out his hands. "Come to, Grandpa." He scooped her up happily, cradling his best gal in his arms.

Gibbs stood up and immediately went to Jenny, taking her in his arms. "Want some coffee?"

She held him close, resting her head against his chest. "In a minute. I need this more."

He smiled, rubbing her back. "I love this robe on you, so soft," he said, kissing the top of her head.

"Don't say squishy," she mumbled against his chest. She smiled when she felt him laugh. "Sam will be down in a few minutes. He was having a hard time waking up and pretty much kicked me out of bed."

Gibbs held Jenny tighter and whispered in her ear. "I wanted to kick _him_ out of bed this morning. I missed out on cuddling with you. Bad enough you were too tired last night."

"You still get it way more often than most new fathers," she said, punching him playfully in the stomach before she pushed off to go get her coffee. "You're spoiled."

He smiled. "And love every second of it."

Jack looked down at Julia. "I think your parents have forgotten we're still here."

Jenny snorted. "Sorry, Jack. Need a coffee refill anyone?"

Jack declined, but Gibbs nodded. He took a seat again at the table and waited for her to join him, motioning to his lap.

The elder Gibbs looked around the table and laughed. "You do know you have more chairs, right?"

"Shut up, Dad," joked Gibbs. He wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her behind the ear.

Jenny smiled, reaching her hand up behind her to caress his cheek. "I swear, Jack, that one morning I'll come in here to find most of the chairs gone."

"That's a great idea," he teased, drinking in his wife's touch.

Jenny rolled her eyes, amused. She leaned back against his shoulder and brushed her lips against his ear before she whispered, "So what was the deal with your nightmare last night? I didn't die again, did I?"

He tensed up, not wanting to be reminded. "Nah. My mind was too busy torturing me about what you said earlier to kill you. It wanted to kill me instead, I think."

Jenny cringed. "Random or Tony?"

"Tony," he growled.

She sighed and shook her head. "Oh Jethro…"

Sam finally made his way into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. He walked over to Gibbs and Jenny, indicating he wanted to be on Jenny's lap.

"Can you handle us both?"

Gibbs smiled. "Let's find out."

Jenny lifted the boy onto her lap, where he nuzzled against her chest. "I'm awake," he managed before he closed his eyes.

Gibbs growled into her ear. "He gets more action from you than I do."

After breakfast, everyone changed into jeans and a top before they met back in Sam's room ready to get to work. Jenny sat on the bed, holding the baby monitor – using the antennae on it to direct things. Each Gibbs male stood by a wall, ready to deliver their idea for the best plan for the room. She shook her head at her husband. "You do realize that if you paint all four walls, he can't sleep in here tonight."

Sam's eyes lit up. "I can sleep with you two."

Jenny raised her eyebrows causing Gibbs to immediately re-evaluate his suggestion.

Jack snorted, amused. "What if on one wall we all take a portion as our own? We could dip our hands in paint and mark up the wall? Maybe sign it even?"

Jenny smiled. "I love that idea! What if we used the handprint as the basis for some kind of animal or character or something? We could give it eyes, maybe hair matching the person whose handprint it is? Really have fun with it."

Sam nodded, jumping up and down. "We need Tony, Tim, Zee an Abby over so they can goo one too. An Gucky? An Cyn… Cyn…"

"Cynthia," helped Jenny. "That is very sweet of you, but she has plans today."

Gibbs looked at his wife. "Gotta a question for you, Jen. Can _you_ draw?"

Sam cocked his head to the side. "Yeah, can ya?"

Jenny shook her head, annoyed. "Ye of little faith. Yes, I can draw. I mean, no one would pay me for it but I think I can handle this project."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes at her. "Hmm. If you say so," he shrugged.

"Oh – and what about Tony? Doesn't he draw crime scenes?" she asked pointedly. When he made a face at her, she smirked. "Okay, what about Abby? I bet she'll be good too."

"OK, so that's one wall. Do we want the bed against the back wall and leave that one alone?"

"No, Leroy. That wall should be painted a different color. I believe they call it the accent wall."

Jenny and Gibbs looked at each other and then at Jack with surprise. "What?" he asked. "Because I'm an old man you think I don't know anything about decorating? I'll have you know I've been on my own for quite some time. A gentleman has to learn these things."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes at his father. "You dated a decorator, didn't you?"

He frowned. "You couldn't just let me sound impressive, could you?"

"I'm still impressed," admitted Jenny, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek. "I'll go call everyone and invite them over for lunch. Do we have the right paint?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Not anymore. Tell 'em to come in two hours. We'll go pick it up."

Jenny nodded. "And maybe tomorrow we could do the accent wall. Decide on a color before you go."

"Dad, Sam – you two decide on a color. I'll be right back." He followed Jenny out the door, down the hall and around a corner.

"What are you doing?" she asked, looking behind her?

"Hoping to steal a kiss," he said, grabbing her in his arms.

"Yeah?" she smiled, putting her arms around his neck. "Well act fast b—" and he did, crushing his lips to hers. It didn't take long for Jenny to allow him to deepen the kiss, her fingers threading into his hair.

He'd wanted to do this since last night, so he savored every second before she inevitably pushed him away - needing to get things done. But that hadn't happened yet, so he hugged her tightly against him. He soon moved his hands up her body and maneuvered them against the wall - just as she broke their kiss.

"Jethro, what are you doing?" she asked breathlessly. "Have you lost your mind?"

"Yes! You're driving me crazy," he said, quickly moving his lips to her neck with the hope she couldn't resist if he found the right spot. He didn't count on her putting her hand on her neck to block him.

"Stop. What's going on with you? Use your big boy words, not your kisses," she teased.

He growled as he rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "After all that was said last night, I wanted to make you forget having been with any other man. But you were tired. And this morning, Sam was in bed with us. Jen," he whined. "I miss you."

She let her lower lip pop out. "Aw, poor baby," she said, running her hands up and down his chest. "You have nothing to worry about. No one was memorable, trust me," she said with emphasis. "Only you. No other has ever had a chance because I've always been yours. You know that, right?"

He pouted. "I guess."

She hugged him close, taking possession of his earlobe with her teeth for a moment before she let her lips and tongue tease it. "Tonight." She then kissed him quickly on the lips and headed off for the kitchen.

He banged his head on the wall, breathing heavily. "That woman wants to kill me."

The team arrived at different times. Tim and Ziva came over first, excited at the prospect of having a lasting imprint on Sam's wall. Ducky and Tony were there soon after. Abby came over a little later since she was bowling in the morning. Everyone decided to try creating their own hand animal, making each one unique and special.

Sam insisted that Tony's hand animal be next to his. The very special agent made sure his was guarding Sam's, and he drew a teddy bear between them.

On the other side of his, Sam had Gibbs and Jenny put theirs together. Jenny's was given red hair and she drew a tiny baby, sitting in between two of her fingers. She figured that was the best she was going to be able to do by Julia. There was no way she was going to suggest the baby get her handprint added. Gibbs had Jenny help him put their hand animals on a boat.

Towards the middle of the wall, Sam made Abby and McGee put theirs near each other. Tim had his standing on a novel and holding a pencil while Abby struggled with hers. She had to tone down her personality, not wanting to use any scary images.

Sam came over and leaned against her. "Where's Bert?"

"You're a genius!" she said, hugging him tightly to her. "Perfect! You solved my block, Sam. Thank you!"

Full of pride, he walked back over to Jack, who was having fun making his holding a fishing pole.

Ducky and Ziva happily sat away from everyone else at the other end. He made sure his had a stethoscope around its neck. Ziva gave hers long flowing black hair and had it hold an olive branch, the symbol for peace. Jenny smiled when she noticed, nodding her approval.

After everyone finished, they stood back and admired their handiwork.

Gibbs rubbed his son's head. "Do you like it, Sam?"

His eyes widened as he smiled. "This is the bestest wall ever! Thank you everyone." He gave out hugs to show his appreciation.

Jenny and Gibbs allowed everyone to stay for an early dinner but only if they let them pay. They ordered in pizza, per Sam's request. Only Abby stayed to watch "The Incredibles" - _again_, but she sat in a corner catching up with Jack.

Gibbs was on the floor playing with Julia while Sam cuddled on Jenny's lap. By the time the movie was over, it was time to put the kids to bed. Gibbs gave Sam a bath while Jenny took care of Julia's.

As usual, Gibbs had to immediately change, getting soaked by someone who was playing a little too much when he was supposed to be cleaning. Jenny laughed, always amused by the sight of him all wet.

Sam asked Gibbs to read him his story tonight, just the two of them. He smiled, moved by the gesture. The older man settled in with the book given to him, grateful that the day's activities seemed to improve their bond. He made it to the second page when he noticed Sam had already fallen asleep. He chuckled as he tucked him in.

Gibbs walked down the hall to their bedroom. Jenny was waiting for him, wearing a green negligee. "Wow," he said, locking their door. He immediately joined her on the bed, stripping off his sweatpants along the way.

She laughed. "Not wasting any time, are you?"

"The way things work in this house? Not on your life," he said, grabbing her in his arms and making her squeal. He rolled her to the other side of him, pinning her underneath him. He then lowered his head, taking her lips with his own. She responded immediately, moaning as his lips moved to her neck.

"You're so right. God that feels good. I've missed you, Jethro."

She felt so amazing to him. He lowered one of her straps and then lifted her negligee up to her waist. His lips made their way from her neck downward. He maneuvered himself between her legs, lifting her leg up – when the baby monitor did the unthinkable. Julia was screaming at full blast.

Jenny leaned her head back. "Crap!" She quickly pushed Gibbs off of her, got up and ran towards the nursery.

Gibbs sighed into his pillow, pained by his daughter's ill timing. He heard Jenny comfort Julia on the monitor. He could tell she was feeding her, so he sat back and waited. Several minutes later he thought he heard her swear. Eventually she came back into their room, holding something to her breast.

"What's wrong?" he asked, a worried expression on his face.

"Well, I have good news and bad news," she said, obviously in pain. She saw his confusion. "She's got her first tooth."

He looked at her empathetically. "Oh no, I'm sorry."

"In more ways than one."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "What do you mean?"

She gently sat down on their bed. "Your hopes for sex tonight just went out the window," she said, cringing from the pain.


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Thanks for your patience during my busy week. And thanks to all who leave a review. You guys are great!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was Sunday morning. Jenny snuggled against her husband, eager to feel his warmth. Always grateful to hold her, Gibbs moved her hair off her face and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "How do you feel? Are you sore? You nervous about feeding Julia?"

Jenny groaned. "Not awake enough for so many questions," she mumbled into his chest.

He listened to the baby monitor. "You may want to wake up sooner than later. I think I hear Jules stirring."

Jenny turned away from him to lie on her back, running her fingers through her hair. "I'm up, I'm up," she sighed. "I knew this would happen eventually. They say to massage the breast so she won't have to suck as hard. It could help." She turned her head to look at her husband and smirked. "Care to make yourself useful?"

Gibbs rolled his eyes in mock annoyance. "If I must," he said dramatically. He rolled over onto his side and placed his hand on her breast, gently kneading it with his fingers. He leaned over further to place a kiss.

Jenny took her hand and playfully shoved his face away. "Stay focused. This isn't foreplay."

He scoffed. "But it _could_ be." He then muttered under his breath. "It should be."

"Aw, poor put-upon Jethro," she teased, as she moved her fingers into his hair.

"So you're fine with the lack of sex lately?" he growled.

She sighed. "I miss you," she whispered. "We'll find time soon."

"Tomorrow?" he inquired, knowing that Sam was spending tonight with them.

Jenny raised her eyebrows and deadpanned, "Are you looking to make love to me before or after the funeral?"

"Right," he sighed. "After?"

She shook her head, amused. "You're incorrigible."

He continued concentrating on her breast. "Yeah, something must really be wrong with me that I want to make love to my beautiful, sexy wife so badly."

"Jethro, that's not—"

Her thought was interrupted by Julia's cries. She looked at him and pouted.

He smiled. "Yes, I'll get her." He was back quickly and handed her to Jenny who was now sitting up. Julia immediately latched on. "You okay?" When she nodded, he settled back down on the bed next to them, watching his daughter eat. It wasn't long before his wife's fingers were in his hair again, caressing him.

"I want you just as badly," she said. "Don't ever think that I don't."

Gibbs decided to scoot behind Jenny, allowing her to relax against him like they used to do. He then began massaging her shoulders, neck and scalp, making her moan. "I'll take what I can get," he joked. But he was very happy to hear any sounds of pleasure coming from his wife.

"You still have magic hands."

They enjoyed being so close and touching. Jenny gladly repeated their nursing ritual, telling Julia how much they loved her and each other. This time she added in a new line. "And your brother Sam loves you too." She leaned her head to the side to look back at her husband. "Feel free to say 'liar, liar pants on fire' to me," she sighed.

He snorted. "Rather than a lie, I think it's more… hopeful."

"That it is." She looked down and could see that Julia was done. "Thank you, sweet girl, for not biting me this time." She waited for Jethro to move over to his side and then handed him the baby.

He reached for the towel and put it on his shoulder before he leaned Julia against him. Gibbs watched Jenny simply lay back and relax, her breast still exposed. "Not that I'm complaining, but you're just going to let it all hang out."

She laughed. "Yes. Need to let it air dry before I – or you if you play your cards right – put the cream on."

He smiled. "I think I like this new regime."

Jenny rolled her eyes. "You're such a boy."

The Gibbs men spent the rest of the morning preparing Sam's room for painting by moving everything to the other side of it and then taping off the wall.

Jenny decided against intruding on their male bonding and instead concentrated on girl power time with her daughter. They played with the floor gym for a little while and snuggled on the swing outside before they moved to the kitchen to make lunch. As she waited for the pizza to bake, Jenny simply stared at her baby – completely in awe. "You are truly amazing, young lady. So tell me – have you given any thought to your future?" Julia cooed a bit and then kicked her feet out several times, smiling at her mom. "Is that so? Do you want to be a ballerina? Or maybe a doctor? Hmm," she mused, as she touched her feet. "You know, you can be anything. You were born at a great time. It wasn't so easy for me. Men were everywhere, telling me I couldn't do what I wanted to do. But I did it. And you can too." Julia drooled and spit up a bit. "Is that commentary?" she frowned as she wiped her face. "I was serious!" Jenny smiled, relieved to see her daughter was in a better mood. "This necklace is helping, isn't it?" she asked as she touched a finger to the piece of jewelry. "Let's go upstairs and announce lunch." Jenny picked the baby up, hugging her close to her.

The pizza was a big hit, and the atmosphere remained light and fun. After lunch, the guys went back to Sam's room to paint the accent wall Navy Blue, just like he wanted.

The rest of the day was spent playing in the backyard. Gibbs said it was to tire out Sam but Jenny had a feeling he was also trying to exhaust his father so they could have some private time before going to bed. If that was his plan, it didn't work. Jack was still awake when they gave up and decided to join Sam. Alone in the bathroom after having gotten ready, Gibbs cornered Jenny.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Can't a guy just make out with his wife?"

"Are you able to just make out?"

He scoffed. "Is that a challenge? I know I can. Can _you_ just make out?"

"This is an inane conversation," she sighed. Jenny glanced into their room at the clock. "You have two minutes."

"Why a time limit?" he asked, annoyed.

"Minute 50 now," she teased. And with that, he had his lips firmly pressed against hers. She continued to feel immense gratitude that her husband was such an amazing kisser. He softly pulled on her lower lip to draw them apart so he could deepen their kiss. Jenny gave in, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as his did the same around her waist.

She wanted him so intensely, to really let herself go but then he'd be right – _she_ would be the one who couldn't simply indulge in kissing. Then again, she knew that already, which was why she imposed the two-minute limit. Any longer and she knew their sexual frustration would explode right there in the bathroom. Normally, that might not be horrible but there was no way Sam was _that_ asleep yet. And she didn't want to start something they couldn't finish – for both their sakes. Regretfully, she pulled away - panting heavily. The knowing look on his face ticked her off. "Stop it."

Gibbs smirked. "I didn't say a word." But he certainly thought several of them. He loved that Jenny was as easily turned on by any touching or kissing as he was. He decided against rubbing that particular fact in her face. Instead he reached for her shoulders as she tried to walk by him, pulling her back against him for a moment so he could whisper in her ear. "When I do finally get to have you, I want you screaming." He felt a shiver rush through her, and it made him smile. But when Jenny turned around, she glared at him fiercely.

"You suck," she whispered back. "Oh don't give me that innocent, questioning look. You know damn well you've ruined any chance of my getting sleep now."

"We could sneak out of here and go for a drive," he suggested. "Leave Dad in charge."

She scowled at him. "Nope. I'm going to bed. Big day tomorrow and we have to be at our best to help Sam get through it," she said, patting his face in a teasing fashion. "So, sleep soundly."

He growled before climbing into bed, making her laugh.

The next morning, everyone was subdued as they ate breakfast and got ready to attend Vivienne's funeral.

Once he was dressed in his black suit, Gibbs entered Sam's room to help him do the same. After the boy was all set, Gibbs sat down on the bed and motioned for his son to join him. "Do you understand what's happening today?"

Sam hugged Simon to him and stared at the ground. "Saying bye to Mommy." He looked up at Gibbs, his lower lip quivering. "I gon't wanna say bye."

The special agent put his arm around Sam and smoothed out his hair. "Me either."

Jenny, wearing a black skirt suit, appeared in the doorway. "How are you coming along in here?"

Gibbs nodded tightly. "We're ready. Just talking."

"Whenever you want then, Melvin's outside waiting," she said gently, not wanting to interrupt their discussion.

Gibbs locked eyes with her, appreciating the understanding he saw there. "Thanks."

She managed a small smile before she headed to the nursery to collect Julia.

Gibbs turned back to Sam. "You want to get the drawing you made for your mom?"

He got up and went to his nightstand, reaching for the piece of paper he made especially for her. He turned back to face the older man. "Is she afraig, Gibbs?"

He thought about it for a few seconds and then shook his head. "I don't think so. She's at peace."

Sam sighed. "Okay."

They stopped at NCIS on the way to leave Julia with Mildred and to pick up Tony. The others drove themselves but Sam had asked specifically for the very special agent to accompany them. Gibbs didn't need Jenny to tell him he had to fulfill the request – he understood and appreciated having anyone who could help make the day easier for his son.

Once there, Melvin led the way inside. Gibbs spotted the lawyer he'd met with, who motioned for them to come up front. The pastor spoke with Jenny and Gibbs before he leaned down to share a few comforting words with Sam. Afterwards, Jenny, Gibbs, Sam, Tony and Jack were shown to the first row for seating.

Sam turned around to make sure that Abby, McGee, Ziva, Cynthia, Ducky and Jimmy were all sitting nearby. Satisfied that everyone he cared about from NCIS was there, he relaxed and squeezed Simon as he leaned against Gibbs. Jenny watched carefully as a dark-haired woman in her late 30s approached them.

"Hi, Sam. Dylan and I were wondering how you were doing," she said, looking confused by all of the strangers she saw surrounding the boy. "You can come sit with us," she said, reaching her hand out towards him.

Gibbs reached an arm out across Sam and stopped her, standing up. "And you are?"

"Frannie Brooks. Vivienne was one of my closest friends, and our sons play and go to school together. And _you_ are?" she asked pointedly.

The woman annoyed him but she supplied a pertinent piece of information – her son was a friend of Sam's, and therefore he didn't want to get on her bad side. "Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs," he said, extending his hand. "This is my wife, Jenny, my father Jackson Gibbs." He nodded at Tony. "Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo."

She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "So why is Sam staying with you, if I may ask?"

"He's my other gaddy. I have two."

The corners of Jenny's mouth curled up into a small smile as she watched Gibbs, his chest puffed out proudly, nod at the woman who was too stunned to say anything else.


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: For those with issues, the rating may jump up a bit with this one. Thanks for the sharing your thoughts – love hearing it all.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs and Jenny were standing by Sam as the graveside service ended. The boy was very quiet and subdued, and it troubled them both. Frannie Brooks and her son Dylan approached them – and Sam instantly perked up a bit when he saw the other boy. They started talking about school and what had been missed when Frannie approached Gibbs and Jenny.

"I was wondering if it would be okay for Sam to spend the rest of the day with us? I thought it might be good for both boys. He can have dinner with us and then if you want to come by and get him or if you want me to bring him to you…"

Gibbs looked at Jenny, and she nodded encouragingly at him. He bent down to get at eye level with his son. "Sam, would you like to come back to NCIS with me and Jenny, or do you want to spend the day with Dylan and his mom?"

Sam looked at them and then at Dylan before he turned back to Gibbs. "Can I go with Gylan?" he asked nervously.

Gibbs smiled and kissed his head. "You got it. We'll see you later then." He stood up and handed Frannie his card. "Call me if he needs anything."

She handed him her card. "My address and phone number are on there. Come by around 7?"

He nodded. "Sam, say goodbye to Grandpa. I think he's heading back home."

The boy ran over to Jack and hugged his leg. "Come back soon, Tampa." He then grabbed his hand. "Come meet Gylan."

Gibbs smiled as he watched his father charm the other young boy. It was soon his turn to say goodbye to his father. "Thanks for staying, Dad."

"Anytime you need me, Leroy… just ask," he said as he hugged his son. Jack then turned around and held his daughter-in-law. "That goes double for you."

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Come back soon."

Gibbs turned to Melvin. "Can you give them a ride? I'll take care of the director until you come back."

"I don't know, Gibbs." He would have asked if the special agent was carrying but he could tell he was.

Jenny narrowed her eyes, unsure what her husband was planning but she figured it must be important for him to ask. She slipped her arms around his waist. "Please, Melvin. If there's any flack, it's on me."

Melvin nodded and walked away with the others.

She looked up at him. "What's going on, Jethro?"

He kissed her briefly on the lips before he reached for her hand, threading his fingers with hers. "Follow me." They slowly walked along connecting pathways and up a hill. Jenny had a feeling she knew where he was taking her, and she found her heart rate speeding up the further they walked. When they turned a corner, he directed her to an area that was shaded by a big oak tree.

They finally stopped in front of two headstones, and she swallowed heavily, understanding the significance – knowing how hard it was for her husband to share this part of himself.

Gibbs let go of her hand and pointed to their names. He sighed. "I wanted you to meet Shannon and Kelly and for them to meet you." He scrubbed his hand down his face, not sure what to do next.

Jenny noticed he was standing a few feet away from her, and his body language indicated he was very uncomfortable. She wanted to do what she could to make it easier for him and fought with herself about how best to do that. She finally decided to take a risk – and address them. "Hi Shannon, Kelly… I'm Jenny."

He looked over at her - stunned. He didn't know what he expected but listening to Jenny talk to his girls… well… it was comforting to him in a way he couldn't describe. She was showing her respect for their memory and what they mean to him - and he greatly appreciated it. He walked behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I've told you both about her. Jenny's my wife."

She looked over her shoulder and locked eyes with him. She didn't know why she was surprised he'd talked about her – but she was. Knowing that he did touched her deeply.

He sat down, not caring at all about his suit. He took off his jacket and laid it on the ground so Jenny could sit too, which she did. He didn't say anything else.

Jenny watched him struggle. She had a feeling he wanted to say something but was still uncomfortable. She decided to try again. "I promise you both that I'm taking good care of him. I can imagine how much he meant to you because I know how much he means to me." She sighed, unsure if what she was saying was making him uneasy or not. But she appreciated this opportunity. "Thank you, Shannon, for your part in making him who he is. And Kelly, I have a feeling you showed your dad how big his heart could be. On behalf of your sister, thank you," she said sincerely.

Gibbs sensed Jenny was being careful with her words, trying to tone down her feelings for him to be respectful. He wasn't sure how she knew this was strange for him, but he could tell she did. He looked over at her and managed a small smile. "Should we go?"

"Do you want a few minutes alone with them?"

_Wow_, he thought to himself. They had come a long way. But he shook his head. "We talked a lot already. I just wanted to do this. It seemed like the right time to share them with you." The look on her face let him know how much she appreciated it. He got up first and helped her up, grabbing his jacket and swinging it over his shoulder. He placed his arm around her shoulder and guided her back to the parking lot where Melvin would meet them. As they waited, they held each other close, enjoying the comfortable silence.

When Melvin arrived, they got in the car. Gibbs held Jenny close to him, his arms around her. "Can you drop us off at home?" He saw his wife narrow her eyes at him. "I want to have my car. I'll drive us back."

Jenny's lips curled up, understanding her husband's request. She melted into him, her hand on his chest.

He kissed the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her. "_Everything, _Jen," he whispered, his voice husky with desire.

The way he said it made her want him even more. "_Everything_, Jethro." It had taken a lot of self-control earlier to not go on and on about how much she loved him. But anytime he opened up more of himself to her, it made her _want _him. And she wanted him _now_. When they finally arrived at the house, both groaned to see Jack was still there. They could barely keep their hands off each other but forced themselves to behave.

"Hi Dad," Gibbs said as casually as he could when they entered the house.

"I didn't expect you two back here. I'll pack soon, but I figured there wasn't any rush so I'm relaxing a bit before hitting the road."

"Take your time," Jenny said, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice. "We're heading back to the office anyway."

Gibbs sighed. "Drive safe," he said, hugging his father one last time. "And call to let me know you made it there."

"Will do," he said, giving Jenny a final hug.

When they settled in the car, Gibbs gave his wife a pained look. "I can't go back to the office without us having…"

"I know," she said over him. "My house?"

He shook his head. "Can't. Painters are doing the upstairs."

She looked at her watch. "We can't go to a hotel. There just isn't time."

He threw his head back in frustration. Then an idea hit him. "I know it isn't ideal, but what about that deserted road on the south side? I haven't done it in a car in forever but…"

Jenny couldn't take it much longer either. "Drive. Hurry."

He smiled as he started the car. "Love your sense of adventure, Mrs. Gibbs."

She placed her hand on his thigh for motivation, not that he needed it.

He moaned. "Watch it or you may cause an accident."

She snorted, unsure if he meant for him personally or their car.

In wasn't long before they were on the deserted stretch of road. He quickly pulled over and killed the engine. "You sure?"

She pulled the lever that sent him falling towards the back seat. She then crawled on top of him and laughed when he grabbed at her ass. "Finally." Their lips crashed together but once they did, they slowed things down and savored the feeling. After a few moments, Jenny pulled away and looked in his eyes. "I love you senseless."

Gibbs lost himself in her eyes, overwhelmed with the desire he saw in them. His mind quickly drifted through the events of the past week and how incredible she had been with everything that had happened. His voice was thick with emotion. "I hope you know how much I love you." He took her face in his hands and brought her lips to his.

She deepened the kiss immediately, reveling in the feel of his tongue dancing with hers. Their passion began to escalate with every touch of their hands. She undid the buttons on his shirt as he loosened his tie.

He quickly unbuttoned her blouse, freeing her breasts from the nursing bra she was wearing. Both released moans as they felt their skin touch. Gibbs maneuvered her underneath him, pushing her skirt up to her waist in the process.

Jenny smiled as his hands caressed her thighs, her excitement building with every touch. She reached for his pants, undoing them to free him from their bondage. Her heels moved up his legs until they were at his hips. It wasn't long before she was ready for him to enter her, and she let him know her impatience.

Both moaned loudly when he did, grateful for the freedom to voice their pleasure. They were so wrapped up in each other and finally being able to connect this way that neither heard a car approach and park behind them.

Officer Jon Dunphy shook his head and glanced at his young partner, Officer Paul Waddell. "People really should know better about parking here. Guess it's too tough to read the signs."

The rookie narrowed his eyes. "Um, I think someone's in there. The car's rocking a bit."

Dunphy couldn't stop smiling. "There is little I enjoy more than busting teens for indecent exposure, etc. C'mon. This should be fun."

The two men slowly approached the car. When a female's scream was heard, Officer Waddell quickly reached for his weapon.

The older cop rolled his eyes and drew his nightstick over the eager officer's hand. "Keep it holstered. I don't believe that was a cry for _help_," he said, amused. He took a look inside the car. "These two are old enough to know better." He took his nightstick and tapped on the window. The occupants of the car practically jumped out of their skin. Some days he really loved his job. "Out here, now."

"Shit," they both voiced in unison. Gibbs immediately moved to make sure Jenny wasn't exposed.

"Turn around," he growled.

"Little late for modesty, fella. You and the lady get out here."

"Jethro," she whispered, a bit panicked.

"I'll take the fall, don't worry," he said, turning on his side to hide her from view as she put herself back together.

"Whatever happens," she said, as she rushed to button her blouse, "this was so worth it."

He laughed. "Yeah, well say that again after we're out of this mess."

Once they were presentable, they exited the car and looked at the cops sheepishly. Officer Dunphy held out his hand. "Need to see some ID."

"I'm a federal agent," he said, handing over his shield. "Can we leave her out of it?" he asked, as Jenny stayed behind him, burying her face in his back.

"Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Your name sounds familiar."

Gibbs could hear Jenny groan behind him. "I don't suppose you could let this go – professional courtesy and all."

Dunphy shook his head. "Now what kind of example would that be setting for my young trainee here?" He loved watching people squirm, especially ones who felt entitled to skate out of tickets. He looked at them both. "Dressed awfully nice for car sex. You look like you just came from a funeral." The look on their faces made him laugh. "You did, didn't you?"

Waddell chuckled. "Kinky."

"Listen, Officer…" Gibbs looked at his badge. "Dunphy… this is obviously awkward. Are you a parent?"

"I tell my kids not to have sex in cars," he smirked.

"Yes, well then you must know what it's like when you can't find time to be with your wife."

"Ah," he said, understanding. "Still, have you ever heard of a hotel? Great invention for people looking to steal away for a little afternoon delight."

Gibbs sighed. "Won't happen again."

"Well," drawled Dunphy, "I can maybe let this one pass legally but I still think your boss should be told."

Gibbs grimaced as he felt Jenny's nails dig into his side. "Please don't do that."

"Your choice. Have it on your record, or I call your boss."

Both knew the only choice they could make. He nodded. "You can call my boss." They then silently prayed that Cynthia would just take a message.

Dunphy walked a few steps back and dialed a number.

"DiNozzo."

Dunphy laughed. "It's Officer Jon Dunphy, remember me from the Bilkins case a while back?"

Tony smiled. "Absolutely. What can I do for you?"

"Didn't you say you had a boss named Gibbs?"

Now he was curious. "I do."

The officer laughed. "Well I'm going to make your day. Just caught him on an indecent exposure charge."

"What?" Tony squealed in disbelief. He noticed all eyes were on him, and he motioned it was nothing. "Details?"

"Caught him banging some broad in his car. They were -"

"Stop! I get the idea," groaned Tony. He closed his eyes and shook his head, trying not to crack up. "You're not giving them a ticket, are you?"

"Nah. Just scaring him a bit. But I do want to tell his boss. He's a bit of a pain in the ass, and something _should _happen to the guy."

Tony grimaced. "So you want me to put you through to the director, is that it?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Tony figured the less he had to do with this, the better. He transferred him to Cynthia so she could handle it.

Cynthia picked up her ringing phone. "Director Shepard's office. How may I assist you?"

"This is Officer Jon Dunphy. Can you please connect me with Director Shepard?"

"The director is out of the office at the moment. Can I take a message?"

He sighed. "It's about Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He's in trouble."

Hearing it was about Gibbs, Cynthia became concerned. "I'll forward your call. One second."

"Thank you, ma'am." Dunphy walked back towards the others. "They're putting me through."

Jenny groaned and leaned her head against her husband's arm. Her phone began ringing. She tried to ignore it, but Officer Waddell was motioning she could get it. She rolled her eyes, clicked a button and cringed. "Shepard."

Dunphy's eyes widened, hearing her on the other end of his phone as well. "You gotta be kidding me." He hung up the phone and burst out laughing. "What kind of agency are you running over there at NCIS?"


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Loved everyone's reactions! You guys are awesome! Your feedback made my week.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"_That_ was humiliating."

Gibbs and Jenny had just arrived at NCIS and were sitting in the parked car, decompressing from their latest misadventure.

"Yeah," he agreed. "But it could have been worse." He looked over at his wife and saw that she raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, we could have been arrested or he could have given us that ticket."

She sighed and leaned her head back. "How many people do you think he's going to tell? We're going to be the laughingstock of the Beltway."

"Laughingstock? Nah. I'll be a hero to many."

Jenny's mouth fell open as her arm swung out, hitting him in the stomach. They both laughed as she shook her head, incredulous. "On the bright side, at least they had better timing than our kids," she admitted.

Gibbs looked over at her. _Our kids._ Hearing her say that made him smile. He reached for her hand and squeezed it. "I was going to say I can't believe how much things can change in a year but hell – I can't believe how much can change in a week."

"I know," she smiled thoughtfully. "I was so miserable in New Mexico, thinking I'd never be happy again… never be a wife or mother… never see you again," she mused, shaking her head. "I know things are crazy as we try to figure this all out, and today was a horribly sad day for Sam – never mind we were idiots just now and almost ruined everything…" she said, as she turned to look at him. "But I absolutely love this life we've made together."

He nodded. "Me too."

"OK, enough stalling. Let's get to work," she sighed. They walked over to the elevator, holding hands.

Once inside, Gibbs backed her against the wall and flipped the switch. He quickly pressed his lips to hers, deepening their kiss almost immediately. They wrapped their arms around each other and stayed that way for a few moments before Jenny pulled way.

She wiped his lips with her thumb. "Why is it that moments after I put lipstick back on, you feel the need to rub it off?" she smirked.

"It's fun," he chuckled.

"Oh really? Well one day I'm just going to leave it on."

He flipped the switch as she reapplied her lipstick. "Thanks for today. It was even better than that stakeout in Paris."

Jenny smiled. "That was pretty fantastic too." She quickly ran her fingers through her hair and smoothed out her outfit. "OK, no more talk about that, or we're going to end up in trouble again."

He chuckled as they got off the elevator and entered the bullpen.

Tony looked up to see them, trying his best to keep a straight face – but he was losing the battle. "Hope the car ride back was… enjoyable."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes at him. "Fine, DiNozzo." He turned his attention to the entire team. "Thanks for coming. I know it meant a lot to Sam – and to us, too," he said, motioning to Jenny.

"Jethro, I have to get upstairs."

He nodded and smiled warmly as he watched her walk up the stairs. Tony caught him doing it and smirked, amused – which didn't go unnoticed by Gibbs.

"What?"

Tony's eyes widened. "Who me? Nothing, boss."

Ziva shot him a look, wondering what he was up to. "You look like the cat that ate the bird."

Tony started to correct her but then decided against it. Gibbs stood in front of him, glaring. It was unnerving to Tony, but he was rescued from having to say anything else when a cell phone started ringing.

Gibbs reached into his pocket and pulled it out. "Yeah, Gibbs." His back immediately stiffened, his attention focused solely on the call.

Tony, Ziva and McGee became curious and a little concerned as they watched him.

"I'll be right there," he said, closing the phone.

They watched helplessly as he headed up to Jenny's office, taking two stairs at a time. When he arrived, he found the door closed. He looked at Cynthia.

"She's nursing."

He nodded before he quickly opened the door and slipped in.

Startled, Jenny looked up from the computer. "Oh, it's you, Jethro," she smiled, relieved. She removed her glasses and saw the worry on his face. "What is it?"

He took a moment to look at Julia in her arms before lifting his eyes to meet his wife's. "Hospital called. They've brought Steve Summers out of his medically induced coma. Going to head over."

She nodded. "I wonder if the doctors will tell him about Vivienne. He's going to be in hell."

"I _know_," he sighed, his voice a bit more shaky than normal.

Her empathetic heart hurt as she remembered that her husband _did_ know exactly how it felt to be Steve at this moment. She motioned for him to come over so she could give him a hug. He did exactly that, kneeling on the ground next to her chair so she could put her arm around him. "Are you up for this?" she whispered into his ear as she rubbed her cheek against his.

"I'll let you know after," he managed. "I have to do this for Sam. As soon as I think Steve can handle it, I'll bring Sam to see him – hopefully tomorrow."

She nodded her head and kissed him on the forehead before he stood up to leave. He looked down at Julia again and caressed her cheek. He then did the same to Jenny.

She closed her eyes for a moment, drinking in his touch. When she opened them he was halfway out the door, closing it behind him. She looked down at Julia and kissed her head. "You make everything better, sweet girl."

In the bullpen, Gibbs grabbed his things and headed towards the elevator.

Concerned, Tony called after him. "Boss! Where are you going?"

"Out," he yelled back just as the doors closed.

Tony looked at both Ziva and McGee before he headed up the stairs to Jenny's office. He saw the closed door and looked at Cynthia.

"I'm sorry, Agent DiNozzo, but she's in a meeting."

Tony was about to leave when Jenny popped out of her office. "Meeting's over," she said, smiling at Cynthia. "Everyone's happy." She looked at the very special agent and motioned with her head for him to come inside.

"What's on your mind, Tony?" she asked as she rounded her desk and sat down.

"Everything okay with Gibbs? He got a phone call, came up here and then headed out the door without saying anything."

"He has a lot on his mind, I wouldn't take it personally." She saw his questioning look. "Steve Summers was brought out of his coma today. He went to the hospital."

"Ah," he said, understanding the various implications. "Sam will be happy."

She nodded tightly. "Absolutely."

He studied her for a moment. "You're worried?"

Jenny leaned back against her chair and sighed. "I'm trying to remember a time when I wasn't worried," she said, almost lost in thought. The look on Tony's face sobered her up. "I hope he makes it. I'm not sure how much more Sam could take."

"But you and Gibbs are in a good place at least, right?"

The grin on his face made her narrow her eyes at him. "Yes," she drawled. "Your point?"

"Oh no point. You two looked awfully happy getting off… well, the elevator."

She stood up and folded her arms in front of her. "Spit it out, Tony. What's on your mind?"

"Nothing. Just you two took an awfully long time getting back. You didn't run into any… complications, did you?" he smirked.

Jenny paled, instantly losing her poker face. "What do you know?"

"Oh not much. Just heard you met my pal, Officer Jon Dunphy," he laughed.

Jenny turned away from him. "Shit," she said, resting one hand on her hip and the other making a fist. She took a deep breath and spun around. "How many people have you told?"

He tried not to crack up. "No one. Honest."

She shook her head, rolling her eyes. "Great. I knew it'd make it around the Beltway, but I was hoping it wouldn't be _this_ fast."

"He won't tell anyone else. He just knows Gibbs is my boss and thought I'd get a laugh."

She sat back down, a sheepish grin on her face. "And did you?"

"Oh yeah."

Jenny laughed. "I can't believe we got caught. We used to be better at that. But between having Jack stay with us and the kids…"

Tony held up his hand. "Enough. I didn't want to hear details from him, I sure don't want to hear 'em from you," he said pointedly. "Glad you two are solid. I know that one of the last times we spoke, you seemed a bit worried."

"You're sweet. Thanks. We're good. We're _really_ good."

"OK, that smile is beyond creepy," he laughed.

Jenny smiled. "Since when did taking about sex make you so squeamish? Or is it only your sex life that can be discussed?"

Tony turned around to see if Mildred was paying any attention to them but she was reading her book.

Jenny waved him off. "She doesn't care." A thought crossed her mind and her face fell. "You haven't said anything to Jethro, have you?"

"He just started speaking to me again. How stupid do you think I am?"

She sighed with relief. "OK, good. Get out of here," she said, motioning toward the door. "And please don't say anything to anyone. It's mortifying enough as it is."

He stopped, his hand on the doorknob. He looked over his shoulder at her. "You know, if you want to keep things private – you may want to –"

"_Goodbye_, Tony," she said over him, putting her glasses back on.

At the hospital, Gibbs asked around until he found Dr. Rollins. "An update, doc?"

"Agent Gibbs, yes. We successfully brought him out of the coma since his body had healed enough to do so."

"Did you tell him about his wife?"

The doctor's mood darkened. "I'm afraid so. We tried to avoid it, but he kept asking."

Gibbs scrubbed his hand down his face. "Did he ask about… his son?"

Dr. Rollins nodded. "I only told him that he was safe and being looked after. That seemed to satisfy him enough."

"Thanks," he said. "Can I talk to him?"

The doctor nodded and motioned for the agent to follow. When they approached the room, Gibbs swallowed heavily upon seeing the state the other man was in. He had several tubes coming out of him and looked so small and weak compared to how he appeared in Sam's DVD. He nodded his thanks to the doctor and took a seat in the chair next to Steve's bed. When the man looked up at him, Gibbs nodded. "Lieutenant Commander Steve Summers, my name is Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs." He could tell instantly that his name was familiar to him.

"Gibbs," he repeated. "You have Sam?"

The special agent was impressed at how coherent the other man was – he wasn't expecting that. "I do." He felt bad to see a bit of the energy in the other man deflate. "He misses you a lot. I'll bring him by to see you tomorrow if you're up for it."

Steve locked eyes with Gibbs, moved by his offer. He figured the other man must know by now that Sam's his son – and yet he was being quite generous. "Why?" he managed.

Gibbs could see that talking was a bit of a struggle for the other man, but he was confused. "Why what?"

"Being nice. You know?"

"That Sam's my son? Yeah, I know. I'm not that nice. Ask anyone who works for me."

Steve managed a small smile. "Shock?"

"Finding out?" The other man nodded. "Oh yeah. Wish she had told me from the beginning. She was wrong – I would have wanted to know about him and to be a part of his life."

Tears came to Steve's eyes. "Oh God, I can't believe she's gone. She was my whole life."

The haunting anguish he saw in the other man caused Gibbs to feel his chest tighten. It was too soon to be having this discussion since the man was grieving. "I'm so sorry about Vivienne." He hung his head down, unable to look at him. The look on his face was like a mirror for his own – all those years ago.


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Thank you for the continued support. I appreciate hearing your thoughts. They are definitely motivating! Happy belated birthday (yesterday) to AliyahNCIS!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs had been quiet ever since he returned from the hospital. Jenny didn't expect to hear much about his visit, but she thought she'd hear _something_. Unsure what they were facing at the Brooks house with Sam, the couple dropped Julia off with Noemi before they headed over.

Jenny could feel the tension during the car ride over, so she decided against initiating conversation. She sensed that her husband's head was elsewhere, and she knew better than to push. He'd talk when he was ready.

The only voice that was heard the entire time belonged to the car's GPS, indicating which direction they should go to reach the Brooks house, which turned out to around the corner from the Summers' home. Gibbs shifted into park, and they both silently exited the car and headed to the door. Jenny felt a tiny bit of relief when Jethro put his hand on the small of her back.

That relief was short lived when Frannie opened the door, stepped outside and shut it behind her.

"The boys are just inside, and I felt we needed to chat privately." When both adults looked at her quizzically, she continued. "We had some rough moments. He broke down crying several times. I think it scared Dylan a bit."

Jenny saw the pained expression on her husband's face and knew it mirrored her own. She reached out for his arm, wrapping her hand around his bicep – pulling him closer to her. "How is he now?"

Frannie's face softened. "Better. He had an appetite at dinner, which is a good sign, I think."

Gibbs and Jenny both nodded in agreement. He finally found his voice. "Thanks for having him over. We'll return the favor when things calm down a bit."

The other woman smiled. "He seems to care about you a great deal, Agent Gibbs. But he misses Steve a lot and of course Vivienne." She then turned to face Jenny. "You have your work cut out for you. He seems… conflicted. I get the feeling he's… would proud be the right word? I'm not sure. He definitely likes you, but I think he feels tremendous guilt for saying that he does."

Jenny couldn't hide the fact that the woman's words hurt. It was one thing to sense it as one of their issues – but to have this other woman voice it out loud… Jenny sighed and nodded. "I appreciate the heads-up."

Frannie's mood darkened. "Do you have a baby? Or maybe a pet named Baby?"

Gibbs felt Jenny's grip on his arm tighten. "He means our daughter, Julia."

"Ah," she acknowledged. She chose her next words carefully. "I got the impression he's not very fond of her." Frannie watched their reactions and realized this wasn't exactly news to the couple. "Jealousy? Dylan was that way when our second came along. I feel for you both, believe me."

Jenny smiled. "How old is your second?"

The other woman also smiled. "She's almost 24 weeks."

"Julia's almost 18 weeks. That's great. Maybe one day we'll be having play dates for both kids," Jenny offered.

Frannie smiled. "I'd like that. Do you two have a few minutes? Would you like to come in and have some tea or a glass of wine?"

Jenny could tell her husband didn't want to stay. "We'd love to, but it's been an emotional day. Could we have a rain check?"

The other woman understood perfectly and immediately regretted the suggestion. "Absolutely. Come in for a moment, and I'll get Sam ready."

"I hope I didn't embarrass her," whispered Jenny, once the woman had walked off. "I like her a lot. Maybe we can be friends."

Gibbs looked at his wife and felt for her. She really didn't have friends. He had Fornell, Mike and even Ryan. And while he knew she considered Mary among hers, he found the U.S. Marshal rather annoying. Then again, he knew she'd lay down her life for Jenny, which earned his respect.

"If you want that, I'm sure you will be," he offered.

She managed a small smile. While they waited, Jenny looked around the immediate area, her eyes widening. "Their home is beautiful. I love how it's decorated."

A tall man in his late 30s, wearing a dark suit, approached them from another room. "That's all Frannie's doing. She's an interior decora—" he said, stopping mid-sentence when he saw Jenny. "Director Shepard? What are you doing here?"

Gibbs looked at Jenny and could see she tensed up immediately.

Frannie re-entered the room. "Director Shepard?" she asked, looking at Jenny since she knew Gibbs was his last name. "You know my husband?"

Jenny swallowed and narrowed her eyes. "Hello, Roger." She looked at her hostess. "I didn't put two and two together when you introduced yourself."

Gibbs didn't like the feeling he was getting. "What's going on?"

Jenny sighed. "Roger works for a particular Congressman who's a _big_ fan of holding up his vote for our funding until he gets a chance to grab my ass."

Frannie was incensed. She turned to her husband. "I told you that man's a pig. Now do you believe me?"

Gibbs looked at Jenny, anger in his eyes. "Which one?"

She quickly looked at Roger. "Don't you dare tell him." She turned back to her husband. "I don't need you going John Wayne on him. I can handle it. I always do. I just don't know why he thinks he has a right, the…." She looked at Frannie. "Pig is a great word. The pig."

Roger looked defeated. "I just work for him. Doesn't mean I approve of his behavior. If it helps, I think I do know why he does it to you in particular." He quickly shut up when he realized that probably wasn't the smartest thing to reveal.

Gibbs and Jenny looked at him and said at the same time, "Why?"

"I'm not sure you want me to say in front of him," he said, motioning to Gibbs.

Jenny crossed her arms in front of her chest, preparing for the worst. "Roger, this is my husband, Jethro Gibbs. You can say anything in front of him – he knows the good, the bad and the unbelievably stupid things I've done."

Roger extended his hand to shake, which Gibbs found an odd thing to do at that moment, but he figured the guy was a stickler for good manners… even at the most awkward of times.

"He said that he'd heard you'd slept with your married boss to get ahead… figured you were up for anything," he cringed.

Frannie's eyes widened. "Roger!" The pretty brunette was incredulous that her husband would embarrass their guests like that.

Gibbs scoffed. "What? The guy's an idiot. He doesn't have a clue what he's talking about."

Jenny looked at her husband like he had three heads. "You really are out of it today. He means _you_."

Roger and Frannie looked at each other – both suddenly feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"But I wasn't married," answered Gibbs, insulted.

"Oh my God, do I have to spell it out for you?" she asked, hitting him lightly on his arm. "The only one who has ever thought that or said that is-"

"Diane," he growled, finishing her thought. He threw his head back in frustration.

Jenny bit her lower lip and shook her head. "They were divorced before anything happened between us, but she refuses to believe it. Always has."

Gibbs was irate. "I could strangle her."

"I'd rather sue her," she spat back. "This has not been a great day for my reputation," she sighed. She finally noticed the other couple and their obvious discomfort. "I'm _so_ sorry," she said, wincing. "I don't suppose we could start over? Hi, I'm Jenny, we really do have a great marriage."

The other couple laughed as the boys came downstairs.

"I gon't wanna go," whined Sam.

While Gibbs bent down to talk with Sam and Dylan, Frannie took Jenny aside. "Please don't sweat it. You seem like a lot of fun. Let's get together really soon and have some obviously much needed girl talk while the kids play."

Jenny managed to laugh. "I'd love to, really." She took out one of her cards and handed it to a smiling Frannie. "Call me anytime." She then turned to face the guys. "So are we ready to head home?"

A sullen Sam sighed and headed toward the door. Gibbs, his mood not much better, did the same. Jenny sucked in her breath as she realized her evening was going to be something short of a barrel of laughs. She turned back to Frannie and whispered, "Would tonight be too soon to cash in that rain check?"

Frannie laughed. "Hang in there, Jenny."

On the car ride back, Sam ignored Jenny's first question about his day so she gave up. She leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes. She felt Gibbs take her hand and squeeze it, which made her smile.

When they arrived home, Jenny left Sam with Gibbs so she could relieve Noemi. She took her daughter in her arms and thanked the woman profusely for staying late.

After Gibbs gave Sam his bath, Jenny – still holding Julia – popped her head in to see how they were doing. "Are you ready for a story yet?"

Sam shot a look at Gibbs, who then turned to face his wife. "We're going to the basement for a little while. I'm going to teach him how to sand."

She nodded. Sam was obviously still upset so Gibbs was going to show him his way of coping. She watched them go, figuring she wasn't invited since no move was made by either to include her. Instead, she headed back to the nursery and sat down in the rocking chair to feed Julia. She turned on the DVD that Missy made for them and each song evoked several memories of previous times it was played. As she watched her daughter's little cheeks move, her mind drifted to the many evenings when she was pregnant that she sat on the swing in New Mexico and watched Jethro build the crib she was now sitting next to. She remembered their wedding in that same location and how happy she was to finally be officially married to him. Jenny also remembered the countless times they listened to this music while nursing Julia just like this. Each memory warmed her heart and filled her with gratitude - forcing her to not think about how sad the two males in her life were at this moment.

In the basement, Sam was just getting the concept of going with the grain. Gibbs leaned over him, his large hands on his son's smaller ones, guiding his movements. His pride was obvious when he could see the tension in Sam's shoulders begin to dissipate. They continued to work silently on the new toy chest for Sam's room. After about an hour, Gibbs carried the tired little boy up to his room. He tucked his son in, fully expecting to see him in an hour or two when he'd inevitably wake up from a nightmare. But until then, he kissed him on the head and turned out the light.

On his way to their bedroom, he checked in on Julia. He smiled, seeing her spread out as much as humanly possible across the crib. "You're going to be just like your mommy," he whispered as he caressed her head.

Gibbs sighed before he pushed open their door. Jenny was sitting up in bed, reading reports. She was wearing a red silk negligee instead of her usual T-shirt and shorts. She knew how he loved to cuddle with her when she wore that, and it made him even more grateful that he had her in his life. He nodded to her before he headed for the bathroom to take a quick shower.

After he finished getting ready, he came out wearing boxers and slipped under the covers. He appreciated that she had given him his space after the hospital but he figured it wasn't fair to not fill her in. He just wasn't sure how to put his thoughts into words. He was hoping the sanding would help, but even that seemed to be letting him down.

Jenny sensed the struggle he was having. She put away her files, laid down her glasses and turned to face him.

He took a deep breath. "Remember how you felt after you took Sam to visit Vivienne?" It was a rhetorical question. He knew there was no way she could forget that. He pulled his knees up and rested his elbows against them - as his hands rested on top of his lowered head. "I felt that same paralyzing… empathy. I guess that's the best way to put it. It hurt to look at him. I saw my anguish in his eyes, and it felt like losing Shannon and Kelly all over again."

Jenny closed her eyes - tears stinging them as they fell down her cheek. She quickly wiped them away, hoping her husband didn't notice. This wasn't about her – or how much seeing him hurt like this made her feel. She needed to be strong for him.

"I don't get it."

"What?" she asked, hoping he didn't notice her voice crack. She ran her fingers through the hair around his temple, trying to comfort him.

"I was at their graves with you, and I was fine. Why did seeing another man mourn the loss of his wife get to me more?"

Jenny shook her head. "I don't know. But I'm not surprised. You recognized his emotions, what he was going through. Of course it would get to you."

"A part of me feels tremendous guilt."

She couldn't hide the surprise in her voice. "Why?"

He lowered his hands and turned his head to face her. "This poor guy has lost his wife – _his_ everything. He could still lose his life! He probably hasn't been able to think about the fact that I now know his son is really mine but when he does," he sighed, shaking his head. "Then there's Shannon and Kelly – they lost their lives so young."

Jenny reached out and squeezed his arm. "Why are you feeling guilty? None of this is your fault."

He put his hand over hers. "My wife and daughter are dead. The mother of my son is dead. My son and his other father are in hell as they grieve. And me?" he sighed.

Jenny unconsciously held her breath as she waited for him to finish.

"I'm so damn happy it scares me. I have this little miracle in the next room who has stolen my heart. I have a son I can't wait to get to know. And I'm completely in love with the most beautiful woman in the world, who teaches me every day that I can love just a little bit more than the day before."

Jenny wiped away the tears from her eyes – happy ones this time. "Jethro, that's survivor guilt talking. You have to give yourself permission to be happy."

He looked down at his knees again. "How can I? I feel like I don't have a right."

"You have more than a right. You have a duty – that is how you can honor their memories. Don't teach your son that happiness is something to feel guilty about – that's why he and I are having problems. It would be a horrible legacy to pass down to him, and it doesn't sound like something Vivienne believed. Didn't you tell me she embraced life?"

He nodded.

She took his face in her hands, and they locked eyes. "You've been surrounded by death long enough. You've mourned. You've grieved. If you find yourself happy now – grab it," she implored, needing him to believe her. "Because we both know how quickly it can be ripped away."

He nodded, knowing she was right but he wasn't sure he could let it go. What he did know was that he needed Jenny. "Hold me?"

"For as long as you need." They turned off the lights. He eased himself down onto his pillow and watched while she laid her head on his chest and placed her arm around him. "It can be for the rest of our lives if you want."


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: I've decided to cut down to only publishing a new chapter two times per week. Will aim for Wed/Thursday-ish and Sunday but no promises. As always, thanks for reading, and an even bigger thanks to those of you leaving a review. You guys are awesome!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

_It was a warm day. They were walking in and out of stores around Dupont Circle, trying to be inconspicuous. Gibbs looked over at DiNozzo and nodded. The younger agent approached their target, asking for directions. When the man made a move to strike Tony, Gibbs stepped in and took the man down, placing the cuffs on him as his knee dug into the perp's back._

"_Thanks, Boss. My jaw also thanks you."_

_Gibbs snorted as his cell phone began to vibrate in his pocket. "Yeah, Gibbs," he said without looking to see who the caller was._

"_Can you talk?"_

_Gibbs watched as Tony lifted the guy up and walked him to their car. "It's not the greatest time, Tobias, but—"_

"_It's Jenny and Julia, Jethro."_

_Gibbs froze. He finally found his voice. "What happened?"_

"_I'm so sorry. They were walking to her car when it detonated."_

_Gibbs fell to his knees and released a primal scream full of agony._

_He felt someone put their hands on his shoulders, but he didn't care. He thrashed about, not wanting comfort. He knew his life was over, and there was no consoling him. He couldn't breathe, and all he could hope was that he would soon die too._

"Jethro, you have to wake up," she begged as she continued to shake him.

He finally opened his eyes and saw the panic on Jenny's face. His pulse was racing, he could barely catch his breath and he was drenched in sweat. He reached up and gripped her shoulders roughly, looking her over to assure himself that she was really in front of him and in one piece.

"Jethro, I'm okay. Let go, you're hurting me."

He was up on his knees in a flash. "It was so real," he insisted, trying to find her eyes in the dark. He drew her into his arms and buried his face in her hair. "Oh God, Jen."

The terror she heard in his voice broke her heart and made her want to do anything it took to put his mind at ease. She hugged him against her and rubbed his back, trying to soothe him. "It was just a nightmare. I'm here. Feel me – know that I'm real." She knew what he needed when he was in this state. She eased her body around him, caressing his arms and back – running her fingers through his hair as her lips left feathery kisses around his face.

He drank in her special brand of medicine and accepted her kisses – each successive one healing him more than the last. "I want to be inside you, Jenny."

She pulled back and nodded before she rested her forehead against his. "I know," she whispered. She reached down and pulled her negligee over her head in one fluid movement. "Take me, Jethro."

He didn't need to be told twice. It wasn't long before they became lost in each other's body, holding on for dear life. Every touch was magnetic; each kiss was soul replenishing; and their rhythmic movements truly displayed a couple that moved as one.

After they were done, Jenny quickly reached for her discarded nightgown and Gibbs retrieved his boxers. They settled back down in each other's arms, with him resting on her chest this time. She had one arm protectively around him while her other hand was in the hair at the base of his neck, doing a mixture of massaging and caressing. "Better now?" she asked when she felt his breathing begin to even out.

"Mmmhmm," he mumbled into her breast.

She smiled. "I'm glad."

Gibbs shifted his head a little bit. "You surprised me."

"How?"

"You've been so careful about sex. We didn't even lock the door." He felt her chuckle.

"True," she sighed. "But if there's any night I didn't expect to see him, it was this one. He's avoiding me right now."

Gibbs gently rubbed her side, trying to comfort her. "Give him time."

"I know. But that's why I figured we were okay. We were all kinds of daring today, weren't we?" she asked playfully. "Teens got nothing on us."

He laughed and lifted his head, resting his chin on her. "They never have."

Jenny smiled and tightened her arms around him.

A few hours later, his cell phone pierced the silence. He grabbed it immediately, sat up on his elbows and whispered, "Yeah Gibbs." He listened for a few seconds and then hung up. He lay back down.

Jenny rolled over towards him, placing her hand on his chest. "Everything okay?"

"Caught a case. Damn," he said, slamming the hand with the phone in it down on the bed. He looked at his wife. "I wanted to be there for Sam today, taking him back to school. I'm sorry," he sighed.

She kissed him briefly. "I'll handle it. Go catch the dirt bags."

"But weren't you needing to go in early with this new schedule?"

"I said I'd handle it. Do you need me to call anyone?"

He took out his phone as he headed for the bathroom. "No, I got it. Tell Sam—"

"I will," she answered over him, knowing that he'd want his son reassured that he wanted to be with him on his first day back.

A few hours later, Jenny, Sam and Julia arrived at preschool. Once inside, the boy didn't even look back before he ran off to see his friends and teacher. The redhead shrugged, hardly surprised. With a fidgety Julia in tow, she followed him and found his teacher. She was a friendly looking blonde in her early 20s. "Excuse me, can I have a word with you?"

The young woman smiled. "Are you with Sam?" Jenny nodded. "I was so sorry to hear about his parents."

She nodded. "Me too. I'm his stepmother, Jenny. I just wanted to give you a heads-up that he buried his mother yesterday. He may be fine one minute and in tears the next. If it gets to be too much, here's my card. Please call me."

The teacher nodded empathetically. "Thank you."

Jenny touched the woman's arm. "No, thank _you_." She waved goodbye to Sam, who ignored her. She shook it off and headed out to find the school's office. She quickly introduced herself to the staff. The secretary checked her ID and temporary custody papers before she handed her several things to fill out.

"I thought I recognized you through the glass window."

Jenny looked up and smiled at her new friend. "Twice in two days, Frannie. You should be nervous people will start to talk."

The brunette laughed. "This must be Julia. Oh she is just precious. Want me to hold her while you fill out the paperwork?"

"I'd love it if she lets you. She's not usually very good…" She stopped midway when she noticed her daughter settle into Frannie's arms nicely. Jenny scoffed. "You had to make me look like a liar, Julia? I don't believe this."

The other woman was beaming. "Are you still breastfeeding?" Jenny nodded. "Maybe she just recognizes that in me as well."

Jenny narrowed her eyes. "Do you really think it works that way?"

Frannie laughed. "Beats the hell outta me. It just sounded good."

With her new friend entertaining her daughter, Jenny was able to quickly fill out all of the information on the forms and hand them back to the secretary. She retrieved the baby, hugging her close. "Where's your daughter?"

"I have help at home with Caroline so I can go on calls and get errands done." She noticed her friend's demeanor darken a bit. "You okay?"

Jenny smiled reassuringly. "Sorry about that. I have a good friend who lost his wife. Her name was Caroline too."

"I'm so sorry."

Jenny waved her off. "It's okay. He's actually involved with a friend of mine who's actually," she said, smiling to herself. "I better stop because if I tell you any more, you're really going to think my life's a soap opera."

"You mean it's not?"

She laughed. "Well, I _did_ come back from the dead last year." Frannie laughed. "Oh no, I'm totally serious. But that's a story for another time. Please don't Google it – let me tell you myself. Anyway, I need to get to work. Thanks again for your help with Julia."

Frannie tried to pick her mouth up off the ground in order to say goodbye. She walked Jenny out and noticed two men come to attention when she approached. One appeared to be a chauffeur and the other perhaps a bodyguard - she wasn't sure. The women waved goodbye to each other before Jenny slipped into the back seat of the black Town car.

Frannie took out her cell phone and called her husband. "I just saw Jenny. Are they really rich?"

Roger laughed. "Why?"

"She got into a Town car and seemed to have Secret Service type guys around her."

Her husband smiled. "Honey, I know she seems like a nice suburban mom, but she's the head of a Federal agency and is always accompanied by a couple of her agents for security reasons. Her boss is the Secretary of the Navy."

"You're serious?" she asked, incredulous. "Wow."

By early afternoon, Jenny still hadn't heard from Gibbs. She headed down to Abby's lab to see if the younger woman had heard anything from the team.

As soon as she saw her boss, Abby reached for the remote and lowered the volume on her music. "Thanks for the Caf-Pow," she said as she took the drink. "What can I do for you, Director? And may I say, you are looking quite elegant in your dark suit. I'm especially fond of your lavender silk blouse. It's always-"

"Enough, Abby," she laughed. "Thank you. And you're welcome. Have you heard from anyone on team Gibbs?"

Abby smiled knowingly. "Missing your husband, are you?" The look she got made her backtrack immediately. "Sorry," she said, turning back to her equipment. "Tony sent me a few pictures from the crime scene to start analyzing. I think they were going to grab lunch on their way back. They should be here any time."

"Interfering in my case already, Director?"

Jenny turned to see her husband smirking at her. She crossed her arms underneath her chest and shook her head. "I was surprised I hadn't heard from you yet. I thought you'd want to know how preschool went today."

He looked at her with concern. "Did he have separation anxiety?"

"From me? Hardly," she said, rolling her eyes. "He couldn't get away from me fast enough."

"It won't be like that for long," he soothed. "Come on, I brought you back some lunch – left it in your office. Abs, you have anything for me yet?"

"No, my Silver Fox, but when I do, you'll be the first to know. I will be sure to call you on the Bat phone as soon as my speedy little fingers are able and then," she stopped after turning around and noticing they were both already gone. "Hmm."

Sending Mildred off on a break for lunch, Gibbs closed and locked the door behind them. "Can't stay too long," he said, motioning for Jenny to join him on the couch.

"Want plates or should we just eat out of the cartons?" she asked. His smile told her all she needed to know. She joined him on the couch, removing her shoes before she reached for her carton and chopsticks.

Gibbs reached into her carton and took a bite. "Was he mad at me for not being there this morning?"

"He may have been a bit disappointed but he got over it quickly when Noemi packed his favorite sandwich. I also let him bring his Gameboy. Not sure how smart that was, but he was very excited to show it to Dylan."

"And you didn't have any problem at the front office?"

"We're all set," she said, reaching into his carton for a bite.

"What time do we need to pick him up?"

She shook her head. "Noemi will get him today at least. She's very excited to have him around."

Gibbs nodded. "I'm glad. Did you run into any problems with SecNav over this?"

Jenny shook her head. "Didn't even realize I was gone. And between last night and this morning, I got caught up on a bunch of cases, so I'm out of the doghouse for now."

He nodded. Gibbs then put aside their cartons and scooted her closer to him. "I don't want you jeopardizing your job over this. If you can't do something, you need to tell me."

"Over _this_?" she asked, a bit incensed. "What do you mean – over our family? Over motherhood?"

He closed his eyes and sighed, not wanting a fight. "Not what I meant."

Jenny stood up and paced back and forth, thinking back to her own childhood. "We only get one shot with this, Jethro. I'll be damned if either of the kids grow up thinking I chose my job over them."

He stared at her, taken aback a bit by her outburst. Once again he was struck by the realization of how little he really knew about his wife's past.


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: Thanks for continuing to read this story – it means a lot! And an even bigger thanks if you're leaving reviews - always nice to hear any kind of feedback.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs was out in the field questioning witnesses with McGee while Ziva and DiNozzo were serving a warrant Jenny had secured for them earlier. Gibbs put his coffee down and stepped away after his cell phone began to vibrate. "Yeah, Gibbs." He listened to the caller and winced. "We might not be able to get there until after hours. Is that a problem?" The person responded. Gibbs grunted and disconnected the call. He then hit speed dial.

"Shepard," she said in a sharp tone.

"Bad time?"

"In MTAC. Mission begins in a few minutes," she said as gently as she could and still get her point across. She signed some papers and handed them back to one of the techs. "What is it, Jethro?"

"Steve's doctor just called. He's asking for Sam. He said we could come after visiting hours, but I doubt I'll make it home before 2200 - never mind Sam's bedtime."

"You have bad timing," she sighed.

"If you can't, don't sweat it. Summers can wait 'til tomorrow," Gibbs said as he carefully watched the body language of the man McGee was questioning.

Jenny shook her head. "Not good enough. I know if I were him… Fine, I'll find a way."

He heard the annoyance in her voice and narrowed his eyes. "Don't take on too much. I told you that—"

"I know what you said. Gotta go."

He started to say goodbye and realized she'd already hung up. Gibbs scrubbed his hand down his face, unsure what to make of their conversation or where her head was at. But he didn't have the time to think about it.

Several hours later, Jenny was finally able to leave. She looked at the clock and wasn't pleased to see that it was already 1830. She hadn't wanted to stay this late. She packed up her things, swung Julia's bag over her shoulder and headed out with her daughter. She'd already arranged for Noemi to stay late and trade kids with her. Sam was curious as to why he was leaving the house so late but a bit excited that he was getting an adventure without the baby tagging along.

Once he was secured in his car seat, he glanced at the two men who were driving them. "Why are _they_ coming?"

Jenny smirked and leaned over conspiratorially. "My boss insists I always have people protecting me."

"But sometimes with Gibbs they aren't there."

"That is very observant of you, Sam." He beamed with pride at her praise. "You see," she continued, "your dad is also an agent, just like Melvin and Henry. So he counts as my protection when we're out. But if your dad isn't around, then these poor guys have to accompany me. So be nice to them – I'm sure they'd rather be someplace else," she said pointedly towards them. She felt rewarded when Melvin snorted at her comment.

"That is so not true, Director. We live to serve you," added Henry.

"That," Jenny began, rolling her eyes, "is what is called sarcasm. But I don't really want you learning that quite yet."

Oblivious to the interplay between Jenny and her agents, Sam pointed out the window. "Where are we going, Genny?"

She took a deep breath. "I have a surprise for you. Your other daddy is awake now. I'm taking you to the hospital so you can see him." The look on his face made her feel like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy all in one. His eyes widened, and he started cheering. She was grateful that he was buckled in or he may have started bouncing off the walls of the car.

"Gaddy!" he shouted, clapping.

She placed her hand on his arm. "Sam, he's going to be very weak so I'm going to need you to listen to what I say and follow my lead. Also, I'm going to want to speak with him first."

"Noooo," he whined.

"Yes," she insisted. "Which means you're going to stay with Melvin so you better be good. He knows how to fight off bad guys. Little 4-year-old boys are a piece of cake. Am I understood?"

Henry and Melvin shared a look, both amused.

Sam nodded, a bit nervous.

"Good," Jenny said before she relaxed into her seat.

At the hospital, Sam followed Jenny through the labyrinth of hallways until they found the doctor on duty. She flashed her badge and explained that they had permission to visit after hours. The doctor checked the chart's notes and nodded, motioning for them to follow.

Once outside the room, she pointed to a nearby chair. "Stay here, Sam. I promise to not make you wait long. You okay?"

"I want to see him now!"

"No," she said gently. "But soon." Jenny took his head in her hands and kissed the top of it. She shot a pleading look towards Melvin as she headed inside. She heard Sam's pleas and tried to put them out of her mind as she entered the room. She stopped short, looking at all of the machines, still not used to the intimidating setup they had in the burn unit. She carefully took a seat next to the weak and scarred looking man who was lying in the bed. "Good evening, Lieutenant Commander Summers. My name is Jenny Shepard." She saw him squinting as he tried to focus on her.

"The one who's the director of NCIS?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'm also known as Mrs. Gibbs." She swallowed hard as she looked at him - unable to wrap her mind around how much pain he had to be experiencing. She worried about Sam's reaction.

His eyes widened. "Does this mean you brought my son?"

"Yes," she said, taking a deep breath. "I was hoping we could talk about a few things before I bring him in. First, my deepest condolences on the death of your wife. We met only once, when I brought Sam to see her, but I admired her strength and the obvious love she had for him."

"So she got to see Sam? Thank goodness," he said, getting emotional. "I was scared she didn't."

"She did. It was very moving for them both, as I'm sure this visit will be."

He sighed. "I can't wait to see my boy. I really appreciate that you and your husband are willing to watch him until I'm better."

Jenny was speechless. It sounded like he thought they'd step aside once he was well, but she also knew it wasn't her place to correct him – nor was this the time. She struggled to find the words that did need to be said. She found the courage and took a deep breath. "Steve, may I call you Steve? You can call me Jenny." He nodded. "We… we need your help with Sam."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Right now, he's resisting letting us in. I think he wants to care, but I'm pretty sure he thinks he's being disloyal to you and Vivienne if he does." She caught the small smile that crossed his lips. She understood it - but there was no way she was letting it go. "Steve, I get how that might make you feel good, but this is for Sam's sake. Don't you want him to feel a part of our family rather than some guest? He should be hugged and cuddled and showered with love."

"You're right, I'm sorry," he sighed. "I don't want to lose him, Jenny."

"No one is pushing you out of his life. We know how important you are to him," she insisted.

"Your husband too?"

Jenny nodded. "Gibbs wants what's best for the son you share," she said, hoping to make him understand, in as gentle a way as possible, that Jethro was to be considered Sam's father just as much as he is. Steve nodded. "Thank you. Want me to get him now?"

"Please."

Jenny smiled, trying to reassure him. She stepped outside and found Melvin holding Sam on his lap.

"We had a runner," he said, obviously annoyed.

She shook her head. "Don't you know, young man, that no one in law enforcement likes it when you make them run?" She raised an eyebrow.

He tugged on Melvin's tie. "Let me go now, please, sir."

Jenny tried to hold back a laugh, as he _politely_ demanded Melvin let him down. She reached her hand out, but he shook his head. "Wait a second, monkey, we need to talk." She got down on one knee and looked at him in a way that let Sam know she needed to discuss something important. "The scrapes on your dad's face have healed a bit but they're still very noticeable. He's bald on one side where he was burned. It's not the side you'll be facing, but you may still see it. Do you want to close your eyes?"

Sam shook his head. "No! I'm big boy brave."

Jenny felt horrible that he needed to be. He was being exposed to too many things at too young an age. "Okay," she sighed. "Let's go." She guided him into the room and watched as he stopped short – his eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat. She instantly regretted taking his word on what he could handle but relaxed when he rebounded quickly and waited for her to sit down and lift him onto her lap.

"Hi, Gaddy." He looked at his father, a bit frightened by his appearance.

Steve could see the fear in his eyes, and it saddened him greatly. He did his best to put him at ease. "Hey there, how's my big brave boy?" he asked gently.

"I miss you."

Steve swallowed. He realized this was going to be harder than he thought. "I miss you too. Are you being a good boy for Jenny and Gibbs?" Sam nodded, and he smiled. "Good, because I really need you to be. I want you to make me and Mommy proud," he said, choking up a bit when he mentioned Vivienne.

Sam reacted as well. Jenny could feel his emotions building as his body tensed up beneath her hands. "I want my mommy," he managed, as tears flowed down his cheeks. He quickly jumped down from Jenny's lap and stepped away from her. She shot a knowing look at Steve.

"Jenny, could you give me a little time alone with Sam?"

Though nervous, Jenny agreed. She reminded the boy to not touch his father and then lifted him onto the chair. He stood tall, wanting to get a better look at his dad. "I'll be right outside, Sam."

She paced back and forth as she waited for Sam to open the door in what seemed like the longest 10 minutes of her life. She was taking a leap of faith that Steve would be supportive rather than divisive, but she was counting on his love for Sam and wanting what was best for him to override any feelings of insecurity he might be experiencing.

Relief flooded over her when the door opened, and Sam motioned for her to come back inside. She remained silent and waited for one of them to speak.

Steve went first. "Thank you for bringing Sam. I know you and your husband are very busy people, so I appreciate it."

Jenny managed a small smile. "Glad to be of help. I know how much it must mean to you both. We'll continue to bring him throughout your recovery, as often as we can manage. Also, the doctors have our numbers, so if you ever want to talk on the phone…"

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

"Thank you," added Sam, trying to be like his dad.

"You obviously did a very good job with him. He's always very polite," she said, smiling at the boy.

"We tried," he said, trying to keep his emotions in check. "So I'll see you soon, Sam. I love you. And remember what we talked about."

"I love you too. And I will. I'm your big brave boy."

"That you are," he said, beaming with pride.

Jenny could tell the lateness of the evening and the intense emotions had taken a toll on Sam. He looked exhausted as they headed out of the hospital. He stopped walking and looked up at her, holding out his arms.

She couldn't stop smiling, grateful that he wanted her to hold him. She picked him up and held him against her. It felt so good when he wrapped his arms around her neck and leaned his head against her shoulder. She rubbed his back as they walked towards the exit. "I love you, sweet boy," she whispered into his ear.

"Thanks, Gummy," he said, making her smile again.

"So you had a nice talk with your dad?"

She felt him nod against her. "I promise to be brave boy. Gaddy said when he's all better, I get to live with him again."

Jenny froze for a moment before she got her bearings back and kept walking. But she felt like she could barely breathe as the realization that she totally screwed up leaving them alone washed over her.


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Thanks for continuing to read this story and for reviewing – I'm enjoying your feedback a great deal!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

On the drive home, a tired Sam managed to still be chatty and proceeded to talk about all the things he and his dad were going to do once Steve was released from the hospital. Jenny felt more nauseous with every new sentence but did her best to smile and appear fascinated. All she could really think about was how her husband was going to kill her.

On the positive side, Sam was very easy to get ready for bed. Bath time actually went smoothly, perhaps because Noemi stayed long enough to keep Julia occupied. After they said their goodbyes to her, Jenny settled into the rocking chair to feed the baby and read the book Sam picked out – "Where the Wild Things Are" – for their usual nightly routine when everyone was getting along. He snuggled into her side and turned the pages, wanting to be helpful.

After both kids were tucked in, Jenny got herself ready by picking out Jethro's favorite negligee - that wasn't too obscene in case Sam ended up joining them in the middle of the night. She was hoping it might mitigate some of his anger if he was… distracted. Once her nightly routine was completed, she got into bed, put on her glasses and began reading reports – anything to get her mind off the conversation she was going to have to have with him.

At around 2220, she heard the door open and sighed, bracing herself for what was ahead. She knew he'd check on the kids first and hoped it would put him in a better mood than he was sure to be in after a long day in the field. She set aside her file and glasses and decided to pose as provocatively, while appearing casual, as she could – again to try to improve his mood. Still in a sitting position, she stretched her legs out but leaned her body forward so her cleavage would get his attention. She then changed her mind and decided to lay down on her stomach with her head near the foot of the bed and propped herself up on her elbows. Much better. Full cleavage shot and some butt showing – plus her long legs still in full view. Yes, this would be best. She cocked her head to the side, trying to look as inviting as possible. She looked over her shoulder and decided to lift her nightie up a little higher to show a bit more cheek. Now it was perfect. She turned back to face the door and waited. And waited. _Where the hell was he?_

Gibbs was exhausted despite mainlining coffee all day. He looked in on Sam and was relieved to see a smile on his face. He shut the door and then tiptoed into the nursery. His daughter's tiny movements mesmerized him as she slept. Her little fingers moved as if she was typing in her sleep, and it made him wonder if Jenny had done the same thing at her age. The thought amused him. He realized he'd been in there a long time and should probably head to his bedroom.

After waiting for a while, Jenny wasn't feeling nearly as cute or confident as she'd wanted when she finally heard his footsteps approach. She had just enough time to affix a smile to her face when Jethro pushed open the door. "I was nervous you'd fallen asleep somewhere between here and the front door."

Gibbs raised a suspicious eyebrow as his eyes raked over her. "If I'd known this was waiting for me…" He easily disposed of his shoes and tossed his blazer and shirts on a nearby chair. Still wearing his jeans, he knelt by the bed next to her. He splayed his left hand, rough from callouses, across the soft skin of her inner thigh. He slowly caressed her, dragging his hand upwards. "You know what this is, Jenny?" he asked playfully.

She turned her head to look at him and smirked. "I believe it's my ass."

"Well yes, but not what I mean." She lifted her nose, indicating he should continue. "_This_," he drawled, "is your version of the gift."

She turned on her side and pursed her lips together, looking him up and down. "What do you mean?"

He continued to slowly move his hand along her body. "Remember in New Mexico, when I brought you a gift?"

She smiled. "My charm bracelet." He nodded. "What about it?"

"Do you remember your reaction? You asked if I broke something."

Jenny narrowed her eyes at him. "I also asked if you cheated on me."

He frowned. "Not the point. So," he continued, as his hand traveled up her body until he was able to cup her face in his hand. "What'd ya do, Jen?"

She was not happy that her attempt to distract him had failed, and she sighed. "Damn." She swung her legs over the bed and sat up. "I thought you'd at least make love to me before calling me on it."

"I thought about it," he said, doing his best to look charming. "But I had a feeling I needed you to be wide awake to explain whatever it is." He rubbed her knees and kissed her forehead before he sat down next to her on the bed. "Something happen at the hospital with Summers?"

Sometimes it was unnerving how well he could read her. She got up, grabbed his T-shirt and tossed it to him. "I won't be able to concentrate unless you put that back on."

He rolled his eyes but did as she asked. "Stop stalling. It's _that_ bad?"

She sat back down next to him but focused on her hands, which were folded on her lap. "I screwed up big time, Jethro."

He scoffed in disbelief and reached out to rub her back. "How?"

She took a deep breath and turned to face him. "Steve thinks we're taking care of Sam only until he's released – I was too stunned to say anything."

Gibbs sighed. "It's okay. Besides, he still has a long road. Let him get healthy first. We'll cross that bridge later," he figured. "Not a big deal, don't worry about it." He stood up and removed his jeans and shirt again. "As long as he didn't say anything to Sam and get his hopes up, we're fine."

His back was turned so he didn't see Jenny grimace or her head fall into her hands. "Jethro…"

He turned around and looked at her – understanding immediately the implications. "Damn it, Jen! What happened?"

She felt sick to her stomach and hugged one hand around it and the other she used to hold her head as she shook it, disgusted with herself. "He asked for some time alone with his son. They were both looking at me, and I felt like I couldn't say no. Everything seemed fine until we were walking to the car…"

Gibbs looked at her, his jaw tightening. "What?" he asked pointedly. She might be nervous to tell him, but he had to know everything in order to figure out what to do next.

She looked up at him through her eyelashes. "Sam said that Steve told him when he's all better, Sam gets to live with him again. He was beaming."

Gibbs had tons of thoughts going through his head but he knew he was way too angry to voice any of them without regret. There was only one thing he could do. He put his shoes, jeans and T-shirt back on. "Going to the basement."

She sighed and watched as he walked out the door. "Of course you are," she said under her breath.

A part of him felt badly about working on the toy chest without Sam, but he desperately needed to occupy his hands. First things first, he emptied a mason jar and poured a healthy amount of bourbon in it. He quickly downed the amber liquid, savoring its slow burn. He poured himself some more but left it on the workbench and picked up a sanding block.

For the next hour, he did his best to sort out his thoughts. He couldn't believe Steve had said that to Sam. Did the guy really think it would be that easy? That he'd just step aside and give up his son? After all, he'd _told_ him he would have wanted Sam if Vivienne had let him know that she was pregnant. How could he think that meant he would step aside now? Or… was Steve being a manipulative son-of-a-bitch?

Well, there was one thing Gibbs did know – he was going to have a talk with the man in question as soon as possible. For some reason, making that decision, albeit an obvious one, made him feel a little bit better. But there were still the repercussions of dealing with Sam and the hopes it raised in him. That thought made him take another swig of his bourbon.

He wasn't surprised when he heard her footsteps on the stairs and looked up. "You changed?"

Jenny bit the inside of her lip and sighed. "Call me crazy, but it seemed like there was a definite mood change." She headed towards him in her tank top, shorts and slippers - carrying the baby monitor, which she placed on the workbench. She then removed the bourbon from his hand and took a sip. "Ah…." she closed her eyes as it went down. "Yeah, that works." She then handed it back to him, but he put it down. "Still speaking to me?"

Gibbs snorted. "Not your fault." He could see a wave of relief wash over her. "Were you that worried?"

She picked up a sander and began to examine it. "Yes."

"Aw, Jen," he sighed, picking up another sander and going back to work. "Don't beat yourself up." His head was hurting just thinking of how he was going to deal with the fallout with Sam, so he hoped this was the end of that conversation.

She loved watching him work, especially in a T-shirt that accentuated his muscles like this one. "It's really coming along."

"Yeah." He looked over at her. "Want to help?"

She blushed, remembering other times he'd asked her to "help" sand something. She saw him smirk and knew he was thinking about it too. Jenny sauntered over to him. "Where would you like me?" she asked suggestively.

It wasn't easy to resist her, even if she had changed what she was wearing - but he felt they needed to talk and this might be the best place. "Other side," he pointed.

She pouted. "You sure?" He nodded. "All right, then," she said, her mood a little more chipper as she tried to get into it. She began to sand, knowing the position he preferred well.

"Go with the grain."

She stopped what she was doing and shot him a look. "This is hardly my first rodeo, Jethro." Jenny couldn't help but be amused as she watched him struggle not to make a smartass remark. Instead, he chose to just grunt.

They both worked in a comfortable silence for a few minutes. Trying to appear nonchalant, he threw out his next question as casually as he was able – and being Jethro, he wasn't very successful. "What was the deal with your outburst at lunch?"

She frowned but didn't allow it to break her rhythm. "I had an outburst?"

"If biting my head off counts, then yeah."

She stopped what she was doing and looked at him. "You mean about putting our kids first?" He nodded. "I'm not play acting at this, Jethro. I waited a long time to be a mother."

He decided to keep working, thinking it might make her more comfortable. "Never said you were. Just curious where the outburst came from."

"What do you mean?"

Gibbs was a bit nervous to voice his thoughts. His wife could be volatile when discussing her father, and he wasn't looking for a fight. He took a deep breath and waded in. "Sounded… personal. Like… maybe your parents put their jobs ahead of you?" He glanced over their work area to gage her reaction. She looked… perturbed. But to her credit, she didn't shut down.

"I guess it did press one of my buttons." She could feel his eyes on her. It hurt to discuss her childhood – at least this part. It may not have been ideal, but her mom and dad did mean the world to her. She wanted to remember the good things, because she missed them so much but it wasn't all there was to them. And if it was coloring her behavior in the present, it might be a good idea to open up to Jethro about it. She began sanding again, choosing to concentrate on that as she talked. "You know how much I loved my father."

"I know," he reassured.

She swallowed. "He was military - and away a lot."

He nodded uncomfortably. "Know the drill."

"Yeah," she managed. "I don't mean to sound like I'm complaining. I know he was serving our country. But it would have been nice to have had him at just one of my school plays… or softball games… or graduation."

Gibbs felt for her, but it made him think back to the various things he'd missed during Kelly's young life… and it hurt. "What about your mom?" he asked, trying to return his focus to her.

"She was a teacher. It was an easy thing to do when you moved around all the time – those jobs were always in demand. Of course it meant she was busy with everyone else's kids. But at least she attended the big things… for a while."

He saw her mood darken. "For a while?"

"She died just as I became a teenager. I still miss her. I miss them both."

He put the sander down and walked around until he was behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. She stood up and went easily into his arms. "I know you do," he soothed as he held her.

She pulled back so she could see his face. "I don't mean to sound like I'm whining. I know my parents did the best they could, but I want more for Julia and Sam. I don't want to seem like some mythical person in their life who pops in every once in a while and whose approval they kill themselves to try to attain."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow. He was very impressed with how much she was opening up – and it meant the world to him.

"I want to be Mommy - the person they know they can always run to with a problem, crow to about their accomplishments or maybe just ask for a hug."

"Wow. What happened to the woman who was so filled with ambition she left me in the dust?" He saw her deflate, and he felt bad for even bringing it up again. But she didn't shrink away from him. She owned it, and it made him love her more.

She splayed her hands across his chest. "I had a goal, and I attained it. My father can rest in peace. I can move on. I have."

He cocked his head to the side, trying to read her. "And you can really let it all go, just like that?"

"I'm not letting anything go, at least not yet. But this job is no longer my life. It's simply what I do for a living."

He pushed a few errant strands of hair behind her ear. "When did this shift happen?"

She gave his question some thought. "I think it's been building for a long time. A lot changed for me in New Mexico. And again when we found each other. Even more so when I became pregnant."

He nodded, following her train of thought. "And then Kort."

"And then Kort," she concurred. "My promise to my father's memory was fulfilled, and I was free. Suddenly, I was able to focus on love and not revenge. Go figure, right? Like a normal person and everything," she teased.

"There's the Jenny I know and love."

She smiled. "What do you mean?"

"You know damn well what I mean," he admonished. "Things got emotional so you…"

"Backed away... I guess," she admitted. "Well, this was big for me." She saw understanding in his eyes, and she knew it was worth it. "My therapist will be so proud of me," she admitted, wiping away a tear.

He threaded his fingers into her long read hair, holding her head in his hands. "Not anywhere near as much as your husband."


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: I would like to wish everyone who celebrates a WONDERFUL Mother's Day! Especially Prettycrazy, who continues to be a tremendous help with this story and offering so many ideas! And thanks to all of you for reading – and the special ones of you kind enough to review. Thanks!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

The next morning, Gibbs was shocked to wake up with only Jenny in their bed. He realized it was almost time to get up, so he didn't feel guilty about turning on his side to snuggle against her.

"Morning," she managed, still half asleep.

He felt her fingers in his hair, and it caused him to nuzzle his face deeper into _her_ hair. "You smell so good."

She turned on her side to cuddle into him. "How long do we have?"

"About 10 minutes," he mumbled against her neck. She felt incredible beneath his hands. It wasn't long before his mouth found her vulnerable spot, causing her to moan.

"If you lock the door…" she trailed off since he was already a step ahead of her. He leapt out of their bed, ran to the door, locked it and jumped back in. His enthusiasm made her laugh as she took him in her arms. "Be quick," she managed before his lips overtook hers. It didn't take long for either to deepen the kiss, or for him to end up on top of her. She quickly removed her shorts and spread her legs for him. Of course, that was the moment Julia started to cry. Jenny leaned over and turned off the baby monitor. "Hurry."

He grimaced. "Damn it, Jen," he sighed, frustrated. "You know what happens when you tell me to hurry," he complained. He rolled over on his back. "Just go to her."

"Jethro!" she whined. "I've been waiting since last night."

He shook his head, amused. He turned on his side to face her. "OK, I'll take care of you." He went under the covers as a smile came to her face.

A little while later, Jenny was in the nursery feeding Julia.

Gibbs went to Sam's room and found him sitting up in bed, playing with Simon. When he saw his dad, Sam frowned. "Baby was noisy this morning."

He moved the chair near his son's bed and sat down. "You know, your sister has a name. Can you say Julia?"

Sam shrugged. "I got to see Gaddy!"

Gibbs nodded. "I heard. How'd it go?"

"We talk bout Mommy. He misses her too," he shared as he hugged Simon. Sam's mood quickly brightened. "I get to go back home when he is all better," he boasted proudly.

Gibbs sighed. "I know you miss him a lot." Sam nodded enthusiastically. "I hope you know how much Gummy and I love having you here with us. You know, we'd miss you if-"

"Jethro," she interrupted.

Gibbs turned around to see Jenny in the doorway holding Julia.

"Can I have a word with you out here. Sam, why don't you pick out what you want to wear today, okay?"

"Morning, Gummy," he smiled.

"Good morning, sweet boy," she said happily. When Gibbs got up to join her she motioned her head towards the nursery. He followed her inside.

"You interrupted our conversation."

She frowned. "Be happy I did. Jethro, you have to tread lightly here. Don't make him feel guilty if he wants to be with Steve." Jenny watched as his face tried to deny her words. "You were about to tell him we'd miss him if he left, weren't you?"

"Well, we would," he insisted.

Her face softened. "Of course, but you can't tell a 4-year-old that." She started to shift Julia to her other shoulder but Gibbs intercepted and placed his daughter against his shoulder, caressing the crown of her head as he kissed her temple. Jenny beamed watching as the baby nuzzled against her daddy's neck. She continued, "He needs to feel safe – we don't want him worrying about _our_ feelings. It's not fair."

Gibbs looked at her. "I hate it when you're right. I'm worried he doesn't know how much I want to be his dad. And I really don't think he understands that I _am_ his dad."

Jenny put her arms around them. "Be patient. He will. She leaned over and kissed them both on their cheeks.

"How'd you get so smart?"

She scoffed. "I'm hardly that. But on the subject of pulling a kid in two, well that I know." She saw the confusion on his face. "A friend growing up. First divorce I ever knew of and if you remember back then, no one was getting divorced. Her parents were laying all kinds of guilt trips on her, trying to win her over to their side. It really messed her up."

He nodded. "I'll be careful."

"Not just with Sam. When you speak with Steve, keep in mind he's going to be a part of our lives for some time, if not forever. Try not to alienate him." Jenny could see Jethro struggling with her words, displeased. She took Julia back and placed her in the crib. She turned back to her husband, wrapping her hand around his bicep. "I know you're frustrated and angry."

"You don't think I can handle this delicately, do you?"

"You _are_ Mr. 'omelet,' aren't you?" she smirked.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "What?"

She looked at him knowingly. "Sometimes you have a to crack a few eggs…" she said, imitating him to prod his memory.

Gibbs snorted. "I'll be careful," he insisted, kissing his wife on her forehead.

Later at NCIS, Jenny was trying to concentrate on her call with SecNav when Gibbs waved goodbye on his way to the hospital. After a smile and wave back, she turned her attention fully to her boss. "Sir, as I'm sure you're aware, the new crop of probationary status agents are scheduled to arrive shortly."

He quickly signed something his assistant put in front of him and then waved her off. "I am. What's on your mind?"

"I have an idea I wanted to run by you," she smiled shrewdly.

Half an hour later, Gibbs pulled up at the hospital. He finally made his way through the hospital to Steve's room and was relieved to find the man awake. "Is it okay if I come in?"

The patient looked at him hopefully. "Is Sam with you?"

"Not this time."

Steve swallowed. He knew Gibbs had no reason to visit without their shared son unless it was to discuss him. It immediately made him feel defensive. "What can I do for you, Agent Gibbs?"

"Mind if I sit?"

"Please do," he said, even if he didn't feel that way. He watched the other man carefully.

"I don't have a lot of time, so I'm going to get right to it."

No small talk? Steve found himself appreciating Gibbs a little bit more. "That would be great. I don't have much energy."

Gibbs nodded tightly. "I wish you hadn't gotten Sam's hopes up last night. You shouldn't have told him that he would get to live with you again once you were released." He watched as the color drained from Steve's face – not that there was much there to begin with.

So this was it – Gibbs was staking his claim. His worst nightmare was coming true. "You… you saying you want…" he swallowed, trying to calm himself down. "You want to take him away from me?"

The special agent was determined to not allow the man to manipulate him, even though he did look pretty pathetic. He steeled himself for battle. "If we look at the big picture here, you got four uninterrupted years with him – that were basically stolen from me."

Steve's heart rate was skyrocketing as he began to panic. "But I was married to her when she had him. That gives me rights - he's my son! You can't just take him from me."

Gibbs didn't like being told what he could and couldn't do regarding _his_ son. "Sam's also my son! And it's not fair that he treats me like a stranger. I know you love him too and want to be a part of his life, but –"

"A part?" he shrieked. "I… I …." He began to have problems breathing. A few nurses came running in along with the doctor, having noticed the change on his monitors at the nurses' station. One nurse abruptly told Gibbs to leave as they went to work on Steve.

Gibbs stood outside the room pacing back and forth as he waited for someone to emerge from the room. A young blonde nurse came out about 10 minutes later. "You're going to have to leave, sir. The patient was so upset he had to be sedated."

"Great," he sighed, scrubbing his hand down his face. How was he going to face Jenny now?

The woman in question was stuck in MTAC for most of the afternoon so she didn't get a chance to ask Jethro how things went until she passed his desk on her way home. She held a sleeping Julia in her arms and was surprised that he was so deep in thought with his report that he hadn't noticed her.

Gibbs sighed, realizing that Jenny wasn't going to leave until he acknowledged her. He really didn't want a scene in front of his team, who were looking quizzically at their two bosses as it was. He took a deep breath and met her gaze. "Oh, hi," he said, trying to play if off like he just noticed her.

She cocked her head to the side and gave him a disbelieving look. "Really?" she asked, but in a tone that said she knew otherwise.

He shuffled the papers on his desk. "Headed home?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "No, we're headed to a dance club. Care to come? Of course we're headed home."

Gibbs shot an annoyed look at Tony, who dared to snicker out loud. The very special agent withered under his boss's glare, gulped and quickly returned to his report. He turned his attention back to Jenny. "I still have another hour or two left."

She sensed something was off with him. "Care to walk me out?"

Gibbs was torn. Part of him wanted to avoid the situation a bit longer but the shrewd side of his brain figured she wouldn't want to make a scene in front of her detail, and this way she would have a couple of hours to calm down before he came home. He nodded. He took her briefcase in one hand and placed the other on the small of her back.

At the elevator, Jenny turned to her detail. "Would you mind taking the stairs? I want to have a moment alone with Agent Gibbs."

Both men nodded as Gibbs cringed. He recovered quickly when he faced her in the elevator. He put on his most charming smile. "Hi."

She looked at him, unimpressed and flipped the switch. "What happened?"

He felt sick to his stomach. "You're not going to be happy."

She threw her head back dramatically and sighed. "What happened to being careful?"

The pained expression on his face matched how he felt. "Apparently, I can get a bit emotional."

Jenny shook her head, incredulous. "How bad?"

"He got a little upset."

Her eyes widened. "How upset?"

Gibbs shifted around on his feet uncomfortably. "He had to be sedated."

"Jethro!" she admonished so loudly, Julia woke up and began to whimper.

"Careful, Jenny. You're upsetting the baby," he teased, raising his eyebrows in an attempt to lighten the mood. She wasn't having any of it though.

"Unreal," she muttered as she flipped the switch again. "Tell me you at least didn't pull your gun on him."

He scoffed. "Of course not." He saw her relax a bit. "Besides, I could have just pulled out some of his tubes."

She shot him a look. "Now is when you decide to develop a sense of humor?"

He shrugged. "Seemed as good a time as any." He held the door open for her and walked them to the car where Melvin was waiting. "I know I screwed up."

She paused by the door and turned back to face him. "We'll fix it." He nodded. "And by 'we' - I mean _me_."

He nodded begrudgingly, realizing she was probably right. "Forgive me?" he asked sheepishly.

Jenny shook her head back and forth as she sighed. She reached for his chin and brought him closer, kissing his lips gently. "What am I going to do with you?"

He kissed her on her forehead. "Love me?"

"Yeah, probably," she smiled.


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: I haven't said it lately but I really do need to thank AliyahNCIS (every chapter) for being my security blanket/beta. Now if only she'd get her Jibbs muse back! Thanks to everyone leaving reviews. You guys are awesome!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was a couple of hours later before Gibbs was able to make it home. He unlocked the door quietly and closed it behind him. He heard noise coming from the kitchen and decided to investigate, hoping he'd find his wife. He stood in the doorway and watched a harried looking Jenny straightening things up – _loudly_. Her hair was haphazardly up in a ponytail, as if it was a last resort. She was wearing black yoga pants and one of his big T-shirts that was falling off one of her shoulders as she banged a few pots around, trying to find a place for them. She must have just finished doing dishes because she still had on rubber gloves. He knew she was angry about something and he should tread carefully but he couldn't help himself. "Damn, you look sexy."

Jenny whirled around, obviously startled. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you drunk?"

He snorted. "Nooo," he drawled, as he crossed his arms.

She looked at him in disbelief. "Don't start with me, Jethro. It has been a night from hell, and I am in no mood for whatever you're fishing for…" she said as she looked down at herself. "No matter how misguided you are." She rolled her eyes and threw the gloves at the sink.

"Come here," he said, crooking his finger before opening his arms wide. "Tell me what happened."

"I can tell you fine from over here. _Your_ daughter decided that she was not going to allow me to put her down tonight or get anything done. _Your _son had a complete meltdown – wait. Make that _two_ meltdowns," she sighed, running the back of her hand across her forehead to remove the sweat.

"What was happening with Sam?"

She shook her head and placed her hands on her hips. "What wasn't happening? Where do I start? Oh right – he was ticked off he didn't get to see Steve today. That was the first tantrum - thank you so much for getting his visiting hours cancelled."

Gibbs shifted on his feet uncomfortably and sighed. "And the other?"

"He didn't want to take a bath while I was holding Julia, and he decided we all needed to get wet. He was completely acting out, because he didn't get his way. He was disappointed! And who could blame him? He doesn't understand why he can't see his dad. And I'm the bad guy who's keeping him from him. It sucks."

Gibbs scrubbed his hand down his face. "I'll try to explain it to him. Is he still up?"

"No," she said emphatically. "At least he better not be. He completely wore himself out with his outbursts and was being an overtired pain in the ass. So I made him go to bed early."

"And my clingy daughter?"

"Sent her to bed early too," she laughed. "She was refusing to go down and I let her cry – which of course irritated the hell out of Sam." Jenny pushed the hair off her forehead and sighed. "But they're down. I'll pay for it, I'm sure. Julia will wake up in the middle of the night but whatever – I needed some peace and quiet. Not like my day at work was a picnic."

He felt for her and hated that he wasn't around to help. "I'll try not to stay so late anymore."

She shook her head. "You can't make any promises. I've done the job. I know how it goes, don't worry." Jenny leaned against the sink and hung her head. "I just need to unwind. Sorry to unload on you like that." When he didn't say anything she looked over and noticed he was no longer standing there. "Jethro?" When he didn't answer, she shook her head. "Didn't mean to bore you." She let go of the sink, grabbed the monitor and headed toward the living room. She sat down on the couch and took a deep breath before she set about tackling the work she'd brought home. About 10 minutes later, she felt his presence in the doorway.

Gibbs walked over to her. He gently removed her glasses and set them down on the coffee table.

"What are you doing?"

He reached for her hands. "Doesn't matter. What does is what you're about to be doing."

She raised an eyebrow but allowed him to lead her. "Oh?" When she saw they were headed toward their bedroom she began to protest. "Jethro, I told you that I'm not in the mood, and I'm tired."

"I know."

"Then what's going on?" she asked.

He directed her towards their bathroom and slowly pushed open the door. Her eyes widened to see the room illuminated by candles. He must have found where she kept them and set several up around the tub – which was filled with bubbles. On one side was a single glass of red wine and there was music – Sinatra – quietly playing. He had his hands on her arms and could feel the tension release as she took in the scene before her. He whispered into her hair, "I want you to unwind and enjoy. Anything comes up, I'll handle it."

She turned around to face him, a look of contentment in her eyes. "I can't believe you did this. Thank you."

He smiled as their eyes locked. "Least I could do after that day you've had, which was mostly my fault."

"It's okay." She watched as he turned to go. "You're not joining me?"

He shook his head. "All for you. Didn't want you to think I was trying -"

Jenny put her fingers over his lips. "I get it. Thank you." After he closed the door behind him, she gladly stripped off her clothes and gently got into the water. The heat felt amazing. She reached over and took a sip of the wine, smiling to herself. As crazy as that man could make her, the fact he could turn around and do something so selfless and wonderful made her love him all the more. She put the wine down and allowed the water to work its magic and relax her. After a few minutes, she realized something was missing. "Jethro," she called out.

It didn't take long for him to pop his head in. "Whatcha need?"

Jenny held up a washcloth and pretended to pout. "I can't reach my back." She lowered her head and looked up at him through her eyelashes. "It's lonely in here."

It didn't take long for him to slip into the tub behind her after first making sure the bathroom door was locked. "Well, we can't have that."

She leaned back against his chest with a giant smile on her face. She closed her eyes as his arms wrapped around her. "Now, it's perfect."

He kissed her temple before reaching over for the wine and handing it to her. Gibbs watched as she took another sip, savoring the flavor. "Feeling better?"

She ran her hand down his leg. "Much." Jenny turned her head partially to meet his lips which she knew would be more than happy to meet her halfway. His soft lips tugged gently at hers before she felt him deepen their kiss. She released a soft moan when his hands made their way up her stomach to cup her breasts.

"Gummy, Gibbs – where are you? Let me in."

Sam's words were punctuated by his banging on the door. Gibbs could feel Jenny tense up immediately and leaned his forehead against the back of her head. "I got this," he whispered. "You stay in here." He then cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "Be right out, Sam. Wait for me on the bed."

Jenny quickly turned around and curled into him. "You sure?"

He nodded. "Yeah, stay. I love you." He kissed her briefly on the lips and then got out of the tub. Jenny already missed his warmth.

Within a few minutes, Gibbs was dressed and slipped out to take care of his son. "You okay?" he asked as he knelt down in front of him.

Sam's lower lip began to tremble. "Gummy still mag at me?"

He shook his head. "Should she be?"

He sighed. "I yell a lot."

Gibbs got up and took a seat next to Sam. "Why were you yelling?"

"She say I can't visit Gaddy. Not fair!"

"But Sam," began Gibbs, "it wasn't her fault. Don't you know she'd have taken you if she could?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. But no matter what, do you really think she deserved the way you treated her?"

"But I wanted—"

"No - not good enough reason, Sam," he said over him. "Gummy works all day in a very important job, then comes home and takes great care of you and Julia. You're a big boy, right?" Sam nodded. "You should be helping her, not making it harder. Understand?"

He was about to protest again when Gibbs shot him a look. "Yes, sir," he sighed.

Gibbs smiled at the show of respect. He put his arm around him. "So are you ready to go back to bed?"

"I wanna tell Gummy sorry."

Gibbs smoothed the boy's hair down and nodded. "Sounds good." He heard Jenny moving around in the bathroom, so he figured it wouldn't be long before she came out.

After a few minutes, Jenny emerged wearing her fluffy lavender robe Gibbs had set aside for her. She saw them sitting on the bed waiting and folded her arms in front of her. "And what kind of mischief are you two up to?" she teased.

"Sorry Gummy."

Jenny's face softened. She sighed as she bent down in front of him so they could be at eye level with each other. "Thank you, Sam." She was a bit surprised when he lunged forward to hug her, but she immediately wrapped her arms around him and held him close. "I love you, sweet boy."

"I love you too," he said sincerely. Jenny's eyes widened as they locked with her husband's.

The surprised look on his face was quickly replaced by a very big smile. "Ready to try bed again?"

Sam let go of Jenny and reluctantly nodded. "Okay," he said sadly. He reached for his father's hand. She watched as the two headed off.

By the time Gibbs returned to the bedroom, Jenny had changed into shorts and T-shirt and was under the covers. It wasn't long before he joined her.

She snuggled up into his side. "Thank you for improving my evening on so many levels."

He wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head, which was against his chest. "Least I could do since I'm the reason it was bad."

She chuckled as her hand rubbed tiny circles on his chest. "Well, you made up for it. You know, I think that was the first time he said that to me."

"You're still my secret weapon," he whispered. "If he warms up to living here, it's because of you."

"He loves you too. It's just harder for him to admit it now since Steve is back in the picture. Your son is very loyal to those he cares about. He's just loved them longer."

Gibbs sighed, contemplating her words. "How are you planning on handling Steve?"

She lifted her head to look at her husband. "We probably should discuss it so I know what you're comfortable with me saying." When he nodded, she sat up, tucking her legs underneath her. "I'll take Sam after work tomorrow. I think I should make it clear we don't plan to cut him out of Sam's life but that we do want to at least share custody."

Gibbs bristled. "Share?" he sighed. "Well, I want us to at least be primary."

"Did you ask the lawyer what our chances for that are?"

He shook his head. "We just worked on the temporary order. Guess I should make an appointment. What a mess."

Jenny placed her hand on his arm. "That's probably a good idea but Steve still has a long road ahead of him. I wouldn't be surprised if he's not out of the hospital for months."

Gibbs reached up to caress her cheek. "Are you really okay with us having him? I know it was a shock."

She wrapped her hand around his wrist, rubbing her thumb over his pulse point. "We hadn't discussed it yet but when Julia was a little older, I was going to ask if we could adopt a little boy."

His eyes widened. "You serious?"

She smiled and nodded. "We both know there's no way I was going to risk fate and have another." He nodded - both remembering how worried they were throughout her pregnancy with Julia. "It might not have been the best timing and the circumstances less than ideal - but I couldn't be happier. Sam's an amazing gift, Jethro. Thank you."

He closed his eyes, relief evident on his face. When he opened them, he looked at his wife. "You're incredible, you know that?"

Unable to take the compliment, she shook her head. "Nah. I'm just a woman who loves you senseless."


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: I'm sorry this has taken so long. I've been on vacation and thought I could do both – apparently I was wrong. Thanks for your continued support. And thanks to all who leave reviews – you know they mean a great deal.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was early Thursday morning. Jenny had only been asleep for a couple of hours since Julia woke up in the middle of the night, as predicted, wanting to be fed. She was exhausted and not happy when she felt her husband snuggle up behind her. "Please let me sleep," she mumbled.

He pressed his body against hers and buried his nose in her hair. "I could, but your alarm won't be as cooperative."

"Nooooo," she whined. "How long?"

"Ten minutes."

She sighed. "I'll give you 20 bucks to be director today."

He chuckled. "Nice try."

Her husband's voice, low and gravelly, along with his warm breath on her neck was causing feelings to stir within her. Add to that his hand running along her body and she was surprised to find herself wanting to be with him. She reached over and shut off her alarm before turning to face Jethro. Jenny focused on his lips.

He raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"

Since her husband was a crack investigator, Jenny figured if she kissed him then he would figure it out. She placed her hand around his neck, letting her fingers find their way into his hair.

Gibbs welcomed his wife's early morning attention. He'd wanted to be with her and was disappointed she was too tired the previous night. He knew he had to act quickly – especially before she told him as much. Savoring every inch of her body, he could tell his touches were driving her crazy. He waited as long as he dared before entering her. It wasn't too long before he felt her body shudder beneath him as she threw her head back, saying his name under her breath. Hearing that took him over the edge, and he soon fell on top of her as both smiled at their success. Yet he longed for their honeymoon when he was able to take his time and make the experience so much more satisfying for them both – but for now, this would have to do.

As if reading his mind, Jenny whispered into his ear, "I promise some day soon we'll be able to take it slow."

He rolled off of her onto his back and sighed as his fingers laced with hers. "Gonna hold you to that, Jen."

She smiled. "Just know it won't be this weekend."

"What's going on?"

She leaned on her elbow to face him, mirth in her eyes. "I have to cover for Holly. This is her big weekend with Ryan," she smirked.

He cringed. "Did I really have to know that?" Jenny's laugh was genuine, and he loved hearing it. They looked at each other, resigned to the fact it was time to get out of bed.

It was another normal, crazy morning at their house. After finally getting Sam dressed and a drooling and cranky Julia into her car seat, the family set off for school. It was a rare day – at least so far – when both were able to drop him off. Today's came out of necessity since Noemi wasn't able to do it. Jenny held the baby as she and Sam showed Gibbs around.

A little red-haired boy approached them. "Hi Sam"

"Hi Damon."

Jenny stepped off to the side to hand his lunch to the teacher. Gibbs approached the boys, happy to see that his son had friends.

The young boy pointed at Gibbs. "Is he your grandpa?"

Jenny cringed, especially when she saw the look on her husband's face. But before she could think of anything to do or say as damage control, Sam surprised them both.

"No," he said, obviously annoyed. "He's my gaddy."

Gibbs swallowed, stunned by his son's unexpected declaration. He looked at Jenny for validation that he'd heard him correctly, and her smile said it all. He puffed out his chest and nodded at Damon. "I'm his dad," he echoed confidently.

The young boy seemed to accept their words. "Want to go play, Sam?"

All was forgiven as the two took off without looking back.

Jenny could see he was overwhelmed by all that just transpired. With her free hand, she touched her husband's arm. "You all right?"

Not ready to talk about it, he simply gave her a half smile and guided her out the door.

On the car ride to NCIS he remained silent, which concerned her a little. Then again, she had a feeling he was trying to work it through in his head. Jenny wasn't sure how to approach the subject of how he was handling being called a grandfather. She had worried herself about being an older parent and how kids would react so she knew he, being even older, had to have had similar thoughts and fears. While stopped at a light, she decided to give it a shot and turned herself to face him. "Do you want to talk about what happened back there?"

"No," he stated firmly, not taking his eyes off the road.

She sighed before turning and leaning back against the seat, feeling defeated. He was closed off, and she hated to see that happen. But she did understand and didn't want to push. So instead she said the only thing she could think of to try to make him feel better. "I hope you'll pay more attention to the fact that your younger wife thinks you're the sexiest man she's ever seen rather than what some 4-year-old cluelessly mutters."

He snorted and rolled his eyes.

She figured that was the best she was going to get from him.

"Had to point out you're _younger_, didn't you?"

"I was trying to give myself more credence to be listened to," she reasoned.

Gibbs shook his head as he pulled into his parking space.

Throughout the day, Jenny received reports about her husband's behavior. Ducky felt that he was being a stubborn ass about the latest autopsy report he had filed. Ziva and Tony said he was being especially hardheaded with a witness and had to be taken aside. Even Abby was upset with the indifference she was being shown in his rush to get results. He didn't even bring her a Caf-Pow and made her shut her music. When Jenny asked McGee, he hadn't really noticed a difference but had instinctively done his best to avoid his boss. She'd had enough and asked Cynthia to track him down and send him to her office.

Before he arrived, Jenny asked Mildred to take Julia for a walk so they could be alone. They were just heading out when he arrived.

"Hi Jules," he said, smiling at his daughter. "Headed out?" Mildred nodded. Gibbs realized what that meant, and he prepared himself for whatever his wife felt she needed privacy in order to say to him. He stepped inside. "I take it I should shut the door?"

She put her glasses down when she saw him and leaned back in her chair. "You take it correctly."

He rolled his eyes and sighed, taking a seat across from her. "What?"

"I hear you've been a bit of a bear today."

He shrugged her words off. "I've been myself. Maybe I've been too nice."

She stood up and walked towards the couch, indicating he should follow. "Yeah, I'm sure that's it," she said dryly.

He sat down next to her. "What do you want from me, Jen?"

"I want you to let me in - get it off your chest so you can stop alienating those around you."

He stiffened. "They've complained? Just lets me know I _have_ been too soft lately. They've become a bunch of cry babies."

"Jethro…"

He was obviously agitated. "I know you think what happened this morning is affecting me…"

"It's not?" she asked over him.

He sighed. "Even if it did, they're grown adults. They should be able to handle it if I'm not coddling them. You can't tell me that how I've been today is worse than I was before you and I got together! Why suddenly is it too much for their 'delicate sensibilities,' and they have to come running to you?" he asked in a mocking tone.

She sighed, sitting back as she watched him vent. "I think they're worried, is all. Sure, you used to be a pain in the ass – trust me, no one is denying that."

He snorted.

She stood up. "But you _have_ been different since we got together so they know something's bothering you. Unlike me, they just don't know what it is." Jenny approached him and put her arms around his waist. "On the bright side, Sam did acknowledge you're his dad. That was huge."

Gibbs nodded, placing his arms around her waist as well. He managed a small smile. "I know. Blew me away."

Her eyes lit up, seeing how much his son's words meant to him. "Focus on that – not on what some 4-year-old we've never met before says. Your hair color is probably the same as his grandfather, is all."

He gave her words some thought. "Should I start dying it?" he asked, half joking.

"No," she said immediately. She threaded her fingers into his hair as he pulled her more tightly against him. "I love it just the way it is. And I hope you're more concerned with turning me on than pleasing some random boy."

He laughed despite himself. "Yeah. But I don't want to look too old for you either."

"Stop it," she insisted. "You have no idea how handsome you are, do you? I see the way women look at you when we're walking down the street. You turn all of their heads. And if you've got Julia in your arms – it's all over. They turn to mush just like I do."

"Really," he mused.

She laughed. "Good. I see that ego is back and healthy again and I've played right into it."

He gave her his most charming, disarming smile. "You definitely made me feel better."

"I could have made you feel better right after the fact if you had opened up to me."

He threw his head back in defeat. "Fine. I've learned my lesson."

Jenny smiled knowingly at him. "Sure. I'll believe that when I see it. Why don't you get back to work and maybe apologize to a few people while you're at it."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Can't."

At the same time they both said, "Rule 6," only he said it proudly and she looked annoyed. He leaned down and kissed her lips.

He headed for the door and turned back to face her, keeping one hand on the doorknob. "Thanks, Jen."

She stood behind her desk and nodded. "Don't forget I'm taking Sam to see Steve tonight."

He grimaced, knowing she'd have her hands full with damage control. "Want me to go with you?"

She looked stricken. "Not on your life. You're to avoid him until I smooth this over. But if you can make it home at a decent time, I think you and Julia should spend some much needed daddy/daughter bonding time together. I think you need her magic."

He smiled at the thought until his thoughts darkened. "Jen, to her friends I'll _really_ seem old."

"Enough," she said, frustrated. "You're the man who's never cared what anyone has ever thought of him and suddenly you're paralyzed over what toddlers will think?"

He let go of the doorknob and walked back over to his wife. "Not what they think – but how they may treat Jules or how Sam's friends will treat him."

She looked at him empathetically, wanting so much to make him feel okay about it all but she harbored many of those same fears herself. She struggled to find the right words. "Jethro, as long as we love them the best that we know how, it won't matter."

"You really believe that?"

She sighed as she reached for his hand and held it tightly. "I want to. Does that count for anything?"

He nodded. "Sure."

But she knew he didn't believe it any more than she did.


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: Apparently long plane rides are great for writing chapters and not just reading them, so here's a chapter back on schedule. I want to give a shout out to chris.c03 for encouraging me to try something I wasn't going to attempt. Hope you all enjoy. Thanks as always for the reviews and support – it means so much!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny was feeling a bit of trepidation as she walked through the hospital's hallways holding Sam's hand. Melvin wasn't far behind, but he knew his presence often disturbed the young boy so he did his best to give them some space.

For his part, Sam was delighted. He couldn't wait to see his dad again so he could tell him all about his friends, school and his new room. But most of all he wanted to know when his dad was going to take him home with him.

When they arrived at Steve's room, Jenny contemplated asking Sam to wait outside but one look at his excited face and she knew she couldn't do that to him. Her conversation with Steve would have to wait until the end of their visit.

Elsewhere in town, Gibbs decided to stop at the drug store on his way home. He tentatively walked down the various aisles, looking for a particular item though unsure exactly which one he should buy. He found the section he wanted and was overwhelmed by the various choices. He narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the various labels until he finally made a decision. He glanced around, making sure no one he knew was nearby before he headed for the cashier. When the woman yelled out for a price check on his item, he cringed. He hadn't been this embarrassed buying something since he was a teen wanting condoms on prom night. He reached for the bag and headed out the door.

Back at the hospital, Sam dropped Jenny's hand and went bounding through the door towards his father. "Gaddy, I'm here!"

Steve was beaming. "Sammy! I've missed you so much."

"I missed you too," he said as he climbed up on the chair for a better look. "Genny say no to coming yestergay."

She sighed, disappointed to be called Genny instead of Gummy but she had a feeling the term of endearment was something he wasn't ready to use in front of Steve. "I told you that your dad was sleeping, and we weren't allowed to visit." Jenny tried to smile reassuringly at Steve to put him at ease. Unfortunately, he seemed very guarded when he looked at her.

Steve turned his focus back to his son. "Yesterday wasn't a great day, but today is much better so I'm glad you're here."

Jenny stood back as the two chatted about all the things Sam had been doing. She smiled to hear him crow about his new room and all they had done to make it special. Steve's reaction was hard to read, perhaps because of his injuries or maybe he was trying to remain stoic for Sam's sake. Either way, Jenny was grateful he at least appeared to be supportive of the boy trying to fit in with their family.

At the house, Gibbs placed his package in the bathroom before he headed for the nursery to see his baby girl. His eyes lit up when he saw that she was excited to see him. He loved hearing the little cooing sounds she made when he scooped her up into his arms. "How's Daddy's big girl?" He placed her against his shoulder and headed towards the kitchen. "What should I make for dinner?"

Out of nowhere, Noemi appeared. "Senor Gibbs, you no have to make dinner." She motioned for him to take a seat while she removed something from the oven.

"I thought you'd gone home," he said, grateful though that she hadn't.

"Soon." She walked to the cabinet and took down a plate. "Senora eat too?"

"Maybe later." He honestly didn't know if Jenny had eaten yet or would want to eat upon her return.

She smiled warmly at him as she placed a plate of spaghetti on the table, along with a salad she had made earlier. "Senor Sam requested this. I go now."

"Thanks for everything, Noemi."

She said her goodbyes to them both and blew a little kiss to Julia.

He was finding it more and more difficult to eat a meal while holding the baby but he wasn't ready to place her down quite yet. Dinner, as it always was when Noemi cooked it, tasted delicious. Gibbs did his best to eat it quickly so he could concentrate on his daughter. After it was finished, they moved into the living room so she could play with her floor gym while he lay next to her, propped up on his elbow to watch.

He couldn't stop staring at her. She still didn't have much hair but the auburn tufts were definitely growing. The baby's cheeks were a little chubby, and her smile was infectious. He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. She squealed in delight, making him laugh. "Jules, you are looking more and more like your mommy every day." Gibbs was more than a little grateful for that fact. Sure, Jenny kept telling him all the little things she thought she saw in her that were from him but he couldn't see it. In Sam, sure – she was right about around the eyes and nose there were similarities. But Julia, the little bundle of joy they'd wanted more than anything, was going to look just like his wife and he couldn't be happier.

"Hey!" Gibbs was taken by surprise when he felt something bump into his shoulder. He turned and smiled. "Mikey." He rubbed the cat's head and watched with interest as he headed toward the baby. "Careful, buddy. Be gentle." Julia was oblivious to the feline, thankfully. Mikey jumped up on the chair and stood watch over them. "Good boy," he complimented. Seeing the cat reminded Gibbs that Jenny hadn't had one of her zoning out moments in a while, and he was grateful. It felt weird being at home without her, and he didn't like it. He wondered how things were going, hoping she was able to fix some of the damage he caused.

At the hospital, Sam had been chatting Steve's ear off with all his news he wanted to share. Jenny enjoyed seeing him so animated and happy. There had been a bit of a moment when Vivienne was mentioned, but both father and son seemed to rebound a little bit faster this time. She could see that Steve was becoming tired. "Sam, would you mind joining Melvin outside so your dad and I can talk?"

"I gon't want to," he whined.

"Please, Sam?" She smiled at him and ran her fingers through his hair to smooth it out. "Be a big boy?"

He nodded sadly. "I love you, Gaddy. I'll be back."

"I love you too, Sammy. I'll be here." He watched as his son walked out of the room. He then turned his attention warily to Jenny. "What?" he asked, his voice filled with attitude.

Jenny sighed. "I'm sorry my husband upset you yesterday."

He eyed the woman carefully. "There's no way to sugarcoat the fact you want to steal my son from me. Pretty low to do it to a guy stuck in the hospital."

"Steve, it's not like that. We don't want to take him from you."

He wasn't buying what he felt she was trying to sell. "Oh? So Sam _can _come back to live with me after I'm released?"

"Of course he can stay with you… part of the time," she added carefully.

He frowned. "You wouldn't be pulling this shit if Vivienne were still alive. It's not fair. He's just as much my son as he is hers. We both raised him from the moment he came home from the hospital."

Jenny nodded. "I know. And he loves you. You're his dad," she said simply.

"I am," he reiterated forcefully.

"We're not looking to break your bond. Sam obviously needs you in his life. But you and Gibbs are going to have to learn to share – for Sam's sake."

"Sam was fine without your husband being in his life. He doesn't need him."

Jenny cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips. "I know you're scared. You understand why things have to change, and you're resisting it. I get it. But you must know that kicking Gibbs out of Sam's life would be just as unfair as kicking you out of his life."

"I disagree. Gibbs means nothing to him. I mean everything. I'm all he has left of the life he's known for the last four years."

Jenny was getting angry, but she knew enough not to show it. Steve was already more shut down than she imagined and she was mentally noting to herself she needed to kick her husband's butt for getting him so riled up. "Steve, be objective. How would you feel if you had a son out there who was kept from you through no fault of your own? Wouldn't you want to get to know him, be a part of his life? Wouldn't you feel you had that right?"

"No," he stated, though Jenny sensed he didn't really believe it.

She decided to try another tact. "Do you really want to deny your son more people who love him? Can't we be in this together? He's lost his mom, for God's sake. Sam needs all the help he can get, all the love possible, to help him through this. Don't you think? Isn't there some way we adults could compromise and do what's best for him?"

He closed his eyes, which were beginning to sting. "I don't know. Maybe."

Jenny sighed with relief. It wasn't a huge breakthrough, but it was a start.

The ride home was quiet. Sam was obviously tired, and so was Jenny. When they arrived home, the house was silent. She directed the boy to his room to get ready for his bath while she searched around for her husband. She stepped into the nursery and found Julia amusing herself. _So much for bonding with Julia, _she thought. She kissed the baby and continued her search. After pushing open the door to their bedroom, she noticed the light on in the bathroom and the door ajar. "Jethro," she called out as she entered. Her eyes widened and her hand covered her mouth for a moment while she caught her breath. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she shrieked, looking around at the huge mess he made.

Gibbs turned around – stunned to find her there. "Oops. I was hoping to be done before you came home," he admitted sheepishly.

"Are you seriously dying your hair?" she asked, turning him around and examining his head. "Get in that shower now, and rinse that crap out."

"It's not ready yet, Jenny."

"Thank goodness! Quick, before it is! What the hell were you thinking?"

"But—"

Her eyes were flaring. "No buts! Get in there now! First, you have no idea what you're doing! Go to a professional if you really want to do it. Second, do you really want to face your team, _face Tony_? They'll be merciless."

He cringed, realizing she was right. "Damn it." Gibbs gave up and turned on the shower.

She started to push him towards it. "I don't care if you get your boxers wet, go in there now! Get that… that stuff… off your head. Jesus, Jethro!"

"What's going on?"

Jenny turned around to see Sam's questioning face. "Your dad was silly."

He shrugged. "Okay."

She watched him turn around and leave and tried not to laugh. She found it very cute how he accepted what she said and that was the end of it. If only her husband was as easy to handle. She sat down on the closed toilet, her head in her hands. "Honestly, Jethro. I can't even begin to wrap my head around the fact you did this." She looked up and watched as he shampooed his hair.

"I didn't expect you to fly off the spool, Jen."

She rolled her eyes and stood back up. "I told you earlier I didn't want you to do this. You're gorgeous just the way you are."

He opened the shower and turned back to her. "Gorgeous?" he drawled.

She chuckled. "Does this mean you're finally hearing me?"

Gibbs stepped out and shook his head to get rid of the excess water, spraying Jenny in the process. He laughed when he heard her squeal in protest - which inspired him to to bring her to him, getting her even wetter. "I love you. I just wanted to look good, and if my hair color is making me look too old then I figured it was easy enough to change."

She pretended to punch his chest, hitting it lightly. "There are 26-year-olds with gray hair. It doesn't say anything about age – it's how you carry yourself. And anyone who knows you, who spends time with you – knows that you're so much more than your hair. Tony? Not so much. But you…" she smirked.

He laughed. "Okay, you win this round."

She looked at him, shaking her head. "Since you're already wet, how about you give Sam his bath tonight?"

He leaned past her and grabbed his towel. "I can do that. So how'd it go with Steve?"

She slowly peeled off her wet clothes as she spoke to him. "He was pretty upset. I did my best to hit all the points you and I discussed."

"And?"

"I think I may have made a tiny bit of progress. But I wouldn't count on it lasting."

He used his towel to wrangle her closer to him. "You're making a mistake I no longer make."

She threaded her fingers through his chest hair. "Oh? And what would that be?"

"Underestimating _you_."

She let his words sink in. "For our family's sake, I hope you're right."


	34. Chapter 34

A/N: I want to thank torontogirl12 privately for the last two reviews but your PM feature is disabled. I also want to thank Kikilia14 for the legal advice – you are awesome! I think I'm going to not post a schedule because I seem incapable of keeping it lately. May only update once a week.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"Gummy, wake up. I gon't feel goog."

"I'll read the report soon," she mumbled, still half-asleep.

Sam poked Jenny in the shoulder. "Wake up, Gummy," he said, more insistent this time.

Her eyes bolted open. "I'm awake," she sputtered, still a bit in shock. She turned her head and squinted in the darkness. "Sam? Honey, what's wrong?"

He sighed, grateful that she was finally up. "Sick."

Jenny turned to the side and placed her hand on his forehead for a few seconds. "You do feel warm," she whispered in a feeble attempt to not wake Jethro. "What's wrong? Does it hurt somewhere?" She glanced at her clock – 0425 – and groaned.

"Tummy," was all he got out before he vomited all over her midsection. "Sorry," he managed before he started crying.

She closed her eyes and sighed. "It's okay, sweet boy. I'll clean us both up. Does your tummy feel any better now?"

He sniffled a bit and whimpered through his tears, "Yeah."

"What's going on?" Gibbs sat up in bed and scrubbed his hand down his face.

Jenny looked over her shoulder. "Good, you're awake. Need to change the sheets. Sam threw up."

"On the bed?"

She rolled her eyes, not that he could see it. Though with his finely honed Marine skills, maybe he could. "More on me, but I'm sure it's on the sheets too. Want to help calm him down while I clean up?"

He nodded, quickly putting on the T-shirt that was on the floor next to the bed. "Come on, Sam. Let's check you out."

"No," he stomped. "I want Gummy."

Jenny caressed his face. "Why don't you let your dad help you wash up, while I change into something else and then I'll immediately go to your room? Would that be all right?"

He cried even harder as he ran to his room.

Gibbs shook his head. "Don't worry, I got him. Good morning, Jen," he said in almost a sing-song way.

"Don't screw with me, Jethro," she growled as she quickly removed the clothes she'd been wearing. She heard him laugh at her as he headed down the hall.

Gibbs stopped at the bathroom on his way to Sam's room and wet a washcloth with some cold water. He headed into the boy's room, flicked on the light which caused them both to squint.

"Go away," cried Sam. "I want Gummy."

He grabbed the chair and moved it next to the boy's bed before he sat down. "I know, but you're stuck with me for the moment. Come here." When Sam didn't budge, he handed the washcloth to him. "Wipe your face." After he did, he added, "Feel better?" His son nodded, and Gibbs allowed the corners of his mouth to curve upward. "Good. Might feel even better if you go rinse your mouth."

Since his father was right about the washcloth, he figured he might be right about the other so Sam hurried off to the bathroom. He returned in a few minutes and stood by his dad, who raised a hand to feel his forehead. "Feel warm."

"That's what Gummy saig."

"Okay, I'm here," announced Jenny as she breezed into the room, wearing a fresh pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Sam immediately turned around to face her and held up his arms, wanting her to pick him up. She obliged him before sitting down on the bed to cradle him to her. "Someone is not feeling well," she soothed as the boy buried his face in her chest. "We should probably keep him home from school today, don't you think?" she asked.

"Probably a good idea," he admitted.

"Should alert the hospital to the possible exposure," she said carefully.

He nodded. "You want to stay home with him?"

Her eyes widened. "I can't," she whispered, annoyed. "I'm covering for Holly this weekend. What about you?"

Gibbs shot her a pained look. "We're in the middle of a case."

Jenny hugged the boy closer to her, if that was even possible. She smoothed the hair off his forehead and kissed it. "Can I get you anything, monkey?" When he didn't say anything, she realized he'd fallen back asleep. She looked at her husband and smiled.

"Is it deep enough that we can move him yet?"

"I don't know. Maybe wait a few more minutes." She looked at him again and sighed. "What should we do? Leave him with Noemi today? Or bring him in and have him sleep in my office with Mildred and Julia?"

Gibbs scratched his head as he thought about it. "Maybe take Sam in so Ducky can look at him and recommend something?"

"Good idea, but I will still need you to spend time with him when you can because I have several ops to run in MTAC."

He nodded. "I'll do what I can. Maybe DiNozzo and Abby can help out too."

"We'll see." She motioned for Jethro to help her place the young boy back in bed. They both kissed him on his head before flicking off the light and heading out of the room. Jenny leaned against the wall and sighed. "I should probably shower and just head in. If I try to go back to sleep, I'll be even more exhausted."

He took her in his arms and held her. "You are an awesome mom."

"I don't know about _that_," she mumbled against his chest. "But they both make me want to be."

He smiled against her hair as he kissed her head. "_I_ know. Sam needed comfort, and he sought _you_ out."

She leaned back and narrowed her eyes at him. "And then he threw up on me."

He chuckled as she settled back against his chest. "Any chance you're in the mood for company in the shower?" he asked as his hands ventured lower towards her butt.

She moaned softly, enjoying the feel of his hands on her body. "Not sure how much I'm up for, but yeah… come with," she purred as she led him back to the bedroom.

Gibbs felt badly for Jenny. She practically fell asleep in the shower as he took care of her, washing her hair and body. "You still awake?" he asked as he massaged the conditioner on her head.

"Not my fault. This feels so good," she moaned, leaning against him.

He smiled. "That's the idea."

"Need to leave the conditioner in for a few minutes. What will we do?" she asked, perking up. She lifted her head up, eyeing his lips.

Recognizing an invitation when he heard one, Gibbs leaned down and gently kissed her. When her body pressed against his, he felt himself respond a bit more than he intended. "Oops."

"I'm naked in your arms. Apologize if that _didn't_ happen," she whispered seductively into his ear.

Her words, and her warm breath against his ear, excited him even more so he pinned her against the wall - his mouth taking over hers possessively.

That woke Jenny up, her body responded whether she gave permission for it to or not. Her hands explored the muscles jumping in his abs. They moved upwards - her fingers through his chest hair, around his broad shoulders until her hands gripped his biceps. She arched her body against him as her head fell back a bit.

Her exposed neck was all he needed. That was as good as her saying she wanted to make love, to his mind at least, and he was more than happy to oblige.

Several hours later, Jenny was sitting at her desk with her phone to her ear. She smiled at Julia, who was playing on the floor near Mildred. Sam was asleep on the couch, and she felt for the first time that day that things were under control.

"He's going where?" The shrill voice meant she was no longer on hold and instead speaking with one very confused U.S. Marshal.

She couldn't help but laugh. "You mean to tell me that Ryan, who can't keep a secret to save his life, didn't tell you about his rendezvous with a certain blonde this weekend in San Diego?"

Mary huffed indignantly. "Why do _you_ know and I don't? That's the more important question here. I'm appalled. I live down the street!"

Jenny could hear Marshall laughing in the background. It made her smirk with delight. "Some investigator you are," she teased.

"Oh shut up. That goes double for you, Marshall," she yelled at her partner. "I don't like it. How did he get this past me?"

"I only know because I'm stuck covering for her all weekend. What I do so we can get Ryan laid," she said, rolling her eyes in amusement.

"Director Jenny Shepard, you are sounding more like Catherine Jones with that language!" she mocked.

The lady in question laughed, her eyes filled with mirth. "Doubly daring since I have both of my kids in the room with me. Bad, bad girl."

Mary stopped rocking her chair back and forth and jumped forward. "Both of your kids, eh? Sounds like you're adjusting a bit better to the new ankle biter."

Jenny smiled as she stared at Sam. He was sleeping on his side; his hands were holding the blanket tightly right below his chin and his lips were puckered. "I am. I mean I have." She nodded when she saw her husband enter the office. "You know who really stepped up to the plate regarding Sam, Mary, was Tony. Tony adores him and loves him right back," she teased, winking at her husband. Jenny held the phone away from her ear so Jethro could hear Mary's disgust loud and clear.

Gibbs snorted. "And it's not even my birthday." He kissed her briefly before he went over to check on Sam.

"I heard that," Mary bit back, obviously annoyed. "Low blow, Shepard, winding me up for your husband's amusement."

"Well, it's true. His enjoyment was just bonus. Listen, I'd better run. Give Tony a call or better yet, come visit."

Mary rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah…"

Jenny looked at her phone, incredulous. "She hung up!"

Gibbs smirked as he walked back over to his wife's desk and sat across from her. "Take a picture of Sam… sitting on Tony's lap… yeah, that's good. Yeah, take that and send it to her."

"I would like for her to speak to me again some day." She ignored him rolling his eyes. "How'd he feel?" she asked, motioning towards Sam.

"Head's still warm."

"Damn," she sighed. Her intercom sounded so she pressed a button.

Cynthia's voice could easily be heard. "Director, you're needed in MTAC."

Jenny pressed another button. "I'll be right there." She turned her attention to her husband. "You'll stay with him now?"

He stood up. "Yep. Go do your thing. We'll be okay."

She walked over to him. "He was very clingy until he fell asleep, so if he wakes up and he's looking for me…"

"I'll call."

Jenny cringed. "It'd be better if you texted me."

"Jen," he whined.

"Never mind. Call." She sighed and shook her head as she walked out the door.

Gibbs smiled as he watched her leave. He then turned his attention to his daughter, plopping himself on the floor next to her. He reached for the baby, placing her on his lap. He moved his knees up for her to lean against. "Hey Jules."

Mildred hid her smile behind the book she was reading.

He held her up in front of his face. "Can you say Daddy – you have to say that before you say Mommy." He heard laughing behind him. "You two are lucky I'm holding my daughter, or I'd be head slapping you both into next week."

Tony and Tim looked at each other, not sure how Gibbs knew it was them. The former stepped forward. "Yeah, Boss. We got something you should see."

Gibbs brought Julia to his shoulder and kissed her head before he turned to glare at his two agents. "Tell me what I'd see."

Tim began, "Well, it's –"

But before he could say anything, Sam woke up and looked panicked. "Where's Gummy?" He took one look at Gibbs holding Julia and started crying. "Where is she?"

Tony's eyes widened, surprised to see the boy coming unhinged so quickly. He went to Sam's side. "She isn't here at the moment, buddy, but can we help?"

"No," he whined. "I want Gummy!"

Gibbs handed Julia off to Mildred and went to his son's side. "I can get her if you really need me to, but she's in the special room where she does her top secret stuff."

"I gon't care!"

Tim slowly started backing out of the room. Tony saw and narrowed his eyes. "Deserting the ship, McChicken?"

"I… I figured you two could handle it," he managed.

"Go," yelled Gibbs. He looked at his son, feeling helpless. He sat down next to him and lifted the boy on his lap but Sam fought him.

"No, not you!"

Gibbs turned to Mildred, an unspoken question obvious in his eyes.

"Call her. When we get sick, we just want our…" she let it hang there, nervous that saying the word could set the boy off even more.

Gibbs reached into his pocket and hit her speed dial number.

Jenny groaned when her phone started vibrating. "Already?" she thought to herself. She answered it and immediately heard Sam's screams. "Jethro, the op is underway. I can't leave. Hold on." She removed the phone from her ear and spoke into her headphone, "Roger that, Tango 4." She hit the mute button and returned to her phone. "Can't you help him?"

"He won't stop crying for you."

Jenny sighed, her head falling back in frustration. "OK, tell him if he stops crying and is super quiet and stays still, he can come in here with me."

"You sure, Jen?"

"Just do it," she insisted, hanging up. She pressed a button. "Watch out, obstacles up ahead about 200 yards." She sighed, not happy to be facing her first real conflict between her job and motherhood.

The door at MTAC opened and she saw Gibbs carrying Sam, wrapped up in his blanket. He gently placed the boy in her lap and started to leave.

"Where do you think you're going?" She motioned for him to sit next to her, which he did. "If anything goes wrong, I need you as backup."

"DiNozzo and McGee had something to show me," he offered weakly. The glare she was shooting him made it clear – she didn't care.

Without taking her eyes off the screen, Jenny hugged Sam to her and kissed his head. "There, there, sweet boy. I got you."

Gibbs watched her, amazed. But he saw a new determination on her face and he wasn't quite sure what that meant for him – sometimes it spelled trouble. He'd felt horrible that he had to bother Jenny, but it was obvious no one else would do. He waited for the next break in the action for her to share her thoughts. She didn't disappoint.

"Call the lawyer. Make an appointment for us. We need to know our rights." She continued to cradle Sam protectively in her arms. While they had temporary custody, Steve's wishes were beginning to haunt her. Jenny realized suddenly that she couldn't imagine not having Sam in their lives and felt they needed to find out how to make sure that didn't happen.

Gibbs nodded – a small smile revealing the gratitude he felt that she was his wife and on his side.


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: For those who don't have me on author alert, just wanted to let you know I did a 1-shot (first of hopefully many) from the lost year (between Judgment Day and when Jibbs met again on the plane in A New Life) called Poker Night – an evening with Jenny and Mary. I will let you know here as well whenever a new one has been put up. OK, back to this time period. Thanks to all who leave feedback – you know I appreciate it greatly!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"We have a meeting with the lawyer Monday morning."

Jenny looked up from the email she was writing and smiled at her husband, relieved. "Great. Can you let Cynthia know to put it on my schedule? I want to finish this up before Ducky arrives to look at Sam."

He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Sam was quietly watching a movie on the portable DVD player. "How's he doing?"

Without taking her eyes off the computer screen, she answered, "Go ask him."

Gibbs realized he was bothering her and backed away. He walked over to the couch and sat down quietly next to the boy. The screen was so small, he had no idea how it could be enjoyable for anyone to watch a movie that way. "Whatcha watchin?" He waited but Sam didn't answer. He squinted and thought he could make out Woody from "Toy Story," but which one he had no idea. "Feeling any better?" Silence. He shook his head, amused by the level of concentration his son exhibited watching the film. He placed his hand on Sam's forehead.

"You may want to use your wrist, Jethro."

Gibbs looked up and nodded upon hearing Ducky's voice. The M.E. sat down on the coffee table in front of his patient, placing his black medical bag next to him. Jenny joined them, sitting on the arm of the couch and relaxed her hand on the back to steady herself.

Ducky continued, "There is a pulse point in the wrist that gives it a neutral temperature whereas your hand is affected by your body temperature, possibly what you are wearing, that sort of thing."

Gibbs and Jenny shared a look and then nodded. It wasn't easy to get Sam to press pause on his movie and submit to the impromptu examination, but he finally did it. It was determined that he was on the mend. The relieved parents walked Ducky to the door.

"Jennifer, you may want to try giving him some bananas for energy and melons for fluids," he suggested before taking his leave of them.

"Bananas for the monkey," smirked Jenny as she slipped easily into her husband's waiting embrace. "I'll let Noemi know."

Gibbs tightened his hold, happy to feel her in his arms. "I'll call the hospital, update the doctor and see when he says Sam can go back there," he whispered. "Has he asked about going?"

Exhausted, Jenny leaned against her husband, inhaled his scent and felt incredibly content. "A couple of times, but I explained the situation as best I could. He seemed to understand but then asked again about an hour later so who knows?"

He kissed her head, alerting her to his getting ready to leave. "Thanks for handling that. I'm glad it didn't start a meltdown." He rubbed her arms up and down as he took a step back.

"Me too, but I'm sure it's coming," she sighed. "Let me know what the doctor says."

He nodded and turned toward the kids. Tousling of Sam's hair followed a kiss on Julia's cheek. "Feel better."

Jenny pursed her lips, amused that her husband was pretending to be upset by Sam ignoring him for his movie. She lifted her hand to caress his cheek. "Poor baby."

He snorted. "Not much different from you being engrossed in your email."

Jenny shook her head, smiling. "You aren't getting enough attention today, are you?" she teased before pouting.

He pouted right back. "No, I'm not."

She leaned in and whispered, "I'll do my best to fix that tonight." After kissing him quickly on the cheek, she headed towards her desk. "That is, as long as I'm not called back here to work," she warned.

There was a very excited blonde woman waiting at a San Diego International Airport gate for her companion to arrive. Being the assistant director of NCIS had its privileges, and right now her security clearance was Hollis Mann's favorite one. She could hardly contain her enthusiasm as passengers began arriving. Dressed casually in low-rise jeans, short boots and a fetching gauzy white blouse, she smiled as she peered around people looking for Ryan. She felt like a teenager, and she didn't care one bit.

Leaving the heat of New Mexico for the balmy temps of San Diego was strictly a bonus for Ryan. Getting the chance to spend some real alone time with the woman who fascinated him from the moment he met her… well, that was the true prize. They had been talking on the phone as often as possible but it wasn't nearly enough. Now he had the long trek through the airport before he could see her – or so he thought. His heartbeat intensified when he spied her up ahead, a huge smile coming to his lips. Her eyes lighting up made him quicken the pace until he was able to sweep Holly off her feet and twirl her around.

The other anxious passengers gave the happy couple space as they passed by, not wanting to be hit by any swinging legs. None appeared to care they were making out - other than seeing them as an obstacle to collecting their checked baggage.

Back at NCIS, Gibbs entered the lab. "Talk to me, Abs."

"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs," she squealed as she hugged him fiercely to her. After, she stepped back and shot him a disapproving look. "Not fair! You were supposed to be here a while ago. It's not like you, oh great one, to not appear immediately when I've found something."

He produced a Caf-Pow from behind his back. "Forgive me?"

She snatched the drink out of his hand happily. "You know I can't stay mad at you for long."

He smiled, grateful that at least one person in his life wanted his attention. "Whatcha got?"

Abby was about to recite the litany of information she had for him on the case when his cell phone interrupted.

He held up his finger, indicating he needed a moment. "Yeah, Gibbs." The angry voice on the other side of the phone made him roll his eyes and step away.

"It's Steve Summers," he said with attitude as he struggled to speak. The nurse holding up the phone gave him a warning look to not overdo it. "Are you and your wife keeping Sam away from me?"

Gibbs sighed. "He's sick. Doctors won't let him visit; don't want to risk your health."

"Oh," he said, having the sense to at least sound a bit embarrassed. "What's wrong with him? Is he getting better?"

Gibbs could feel Abby's concern without turning around to see it, but he had enough on his hands dealing with Steve. "He has a bug. Slight fever and vomiting."

"Damn. How's he handling it? Viv always took care of him when he was sick. She was the only one he wanted."

"I bet. He's been clinging to Jenny since it happened."

That was not what Steve wanted to hear. He fought back the tears that were threatening to fall. "I know I should be grateful…"

"Yeah, you should," Gibbs bit back a little more vehemently than he should have, but this man had no idea how lucky he was that Sam had Jenny to turn to and he felt defensive for her sake.

Tony and McGee walked into the lab so Abby put up her hand to indicate they needed to be quiet. Both looked at her questioningly until she motioned towards Gibbs in the corner.

"I know, I know," admitted Steve, unable to hide his growing agitation. "But you have no idea how hard it is for me to be stuck in this bed, in this hospital and helplessly watch as you two ingratiate yourselves into his life. I know you want to take him from me, but forget it - he's my whole world!"

Gibbs tried to heed the warning of his lawyer not to engage the other man should the topic of custody come up, but it was hard. How could he say nothing? He scrubbed his hand down his face. "Stop worrying about who gets custody and concentrate on getting better."

Steve felt like the special agent was being condescending, and he didn't like it. "You have to know I'll fight you both with everything I've got. Be careful alienating me, Agent Gibbs. You'd be smart to remember, I'm the one who was married to her when she gave birth so he's _my_ son in the eyes of the law. And if you continue to fight me, I may decide not to let you see him." He then mouthed to the nurse to hang up the phone.

Gibbs paled. He had no idea if what Steve said was true but just the possibility had him in a panic. The thought of losing Sam now, especially after he'd become such an integral part of their family, was just too much to bear. On top of that, how was he going to tell Jenny they might lose even the right to see him, never mind primary custody – because again he couldn't stop from ticking off Sam's other father? He sagged against the wall as these and other thoughts began to overwhelm him.

Tony stepped forward, concern etched on his face. "You okay, Boss? Was that about Sam?"

Gibbs swallowed heavily. He wasn't ready to discuss this with Jenny, never mind anyone else. "Going for coffee," he growled as he headed out of the lab.

"But…" Abby realized it was pointless to call after him. She looked at Tim and Tony. "I didn't even get a chance to tell him about what I've found."

Tony sighed. "I can't believe I'm saying this about Gibbs, but I think the case is the last thing on his mind. Did you see his face?"

Tim nodded. "This isn't good."

Abby cringed. "Should we tell the director?" Tim and Tony shot her an "are you crazy?" look. "Right. Then it's agreed – bad idea." She hugged her arms around herself, unable to hide her worry. "Do you think they could lose Sam?"

Her words made Tony feel like he was punched in the gut. It was hard enough not getting to see Sam as often as he'd like because of his work schedule, but the thought of never seeing him again… "I need some air."

Abby and Tim exchanged worried glances. She reached for her phone.

In the bullpen, Ziva saw her boss approaching. "Gibbs, did Abby update you on…" He breezed past her on his way to the elevator. She shrugged and looked up at the catwalk. She spotted Jenny watching her husband head out of the building, a look of concern crossing her face. She was about to get up when her phone rang. She noticed the extension. "Yes, Abby." The Israeli listened and when she saw Tony walk by her, she spoke quickly. "Thank you for telling me." She hung up and followed her partner towards the elevator.

He narrowed his eyes at her as they both got in. "Going somewhere?"

She put her hands in her pockets and leaned against the back wall. "Maybe."

Tony sighed as he looked up at the ceiling. "Abby call you?"

"Perhaps."

He shook his head, annoyed. "I didn't realize saying I needed air meant I should have a babysitter."

"We care, Tony. Abby thought you might need someone to… to speak it out with."

The elevator doors opened, and they both exited. He walked toward the courtyard, ignoring Gibbs getting coffee at the stand as they passed.

Gibbs had no idea why his two agents were outside, but he also didn't care. He was next in line for coffee, and he was anxious to get it. Before it was his turn, he saw his wife approaching. Normally he'd be thrilled, but he was dreading updating her. "Want something?" he asked, indicating he meant coffee.

She eyed him carefully, realizing there was indeed something wrong. "Decaf would be great."

He nodded tightly. When their coffees were ready, they began walking towards the benches, being sure to sit far away from Tony and Ziva. Gibbs sat down heavily. He leaned forward, rested his elbows on his knees and hung his head.

Jenny sat down carefully, not taking her eyes off of him. "What happened?" she whispered, almost afraid to speak. When he finally looked at her, his haunted expression made her breath hitch.

"Steve called."

She heard his voice shake. She found herself holding her breath, scared of what he was going to say next.

"He's threatening to not only take Sam away, but said if we're not careful - he'll make it so we won't get to see him again." Jenny looked stricken. Her breathing became labored so he scooted closer, putting an arm around her.

Tears began to well up in her eyes. "He can't do that, can he, Jethro?" she asked, her voice cracking.

It hurt to look at her. He held her close and kissed the top of her head. "I don't know. But what I do know is that I'm going to fight him with all I got."

"We," she insisted, drawing on strength she didn't even realize she had. "With all _we've_ got."


	36. Chapter 36

A/N: I want to give a special shout-out to OrtonsMistress for her help lately – thank you! And of course AliyahNCIS for her continued beta duties. Much appreciated! Hope you guys like this one. It was a bit harder than usual. Thanks to all who leave feedback – you know I love it so.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Later in the evening, Tony arrived at his apartment. As he fished his key out of his pocket, Ziva approached – carrying a pizza. "I thought we finished our discussion."

She leaned against the wall, waiting for him to unlock the door. "Funny, I do not recall even starting it. I watched you pace back and forth, but I would hardly call _that_ a discussion."

Tony sighed as he opened his front door. "I'm only letting you in because you brought food."

She shrugged. "That is why I brought it." She followed him inside and watched as he stopped short in front of his kitchen entrance. He was staring at his wall that had a crayon picture on it. "Sam made that?"

He nodded sadly. "Yeah."

"And you kept it all this time?"

Tony turned to face her. "He drew it for me. Of course I kept it." He tossed his stuff down and headed for the bedroom.

Ziva placed the pizza on the counter. She took another look at the drawing and sighed.

Gibbs stood in his doorway holding Julia. He took her little hand and waved goodbye to Jenny as she headed back to NCIS. The couple thought they were done for the day and had sent Noemi home, but an hour later Jenny received a call from MTAC. Now he was alone with both kids. He closed the door and felt something tugging at his jeans. "Aren't you supposed to be in bed?"

"Where's Gummy?"

Gibbs melted hearing his son's voice on the verge of despair. "We told you. She got called back to work. It's just us for a little while." He watched helplessly as Sam slowly began to lose it. His little shoulders began shaking, his lower lip jutted out and his eyes began to tear. "No, Sam, don't…"

"Nooooooo," he cried.

Julia saw her brother crying and joined in with tears of her own.

Gibbs tried not to panic. "No, no… Julia, you're okay. Sam, she'll be back! Come on, we can handle it for a few hours without her, right?"

"No," he screamed as tears streamed down his cheeks.

Gibbs knelt down next to Sam, rubbing his back in a comforting way. Julia continued crying and he tried to comfort both as best he could. His phone began to vibrate. He looked to see if he had to answer it, concerned he wouldn't even be able to hear the person considering how loud the kids were. When he saw it was Jenny, he took a deep breath and managed to answer it as he tried to hold on to his squirming and upset daughter. "Yeah Jen?"

Her eyes widened as she listened to the chaos over the phone. "Are you okay, Jethro? What's going on?"

He situated the phone between his shoulder and ear so he could use both hands to control Julia. "_Your_ children have decided to completely lose their minds because you're gone. Hold still, Jules. There, there," he soothed.

"I wanna talk to Gummy!" insisted Sam through his muffled cries, poking his dad in the shoulder.

"Oh no," she cringed, her heart breaking. "I hear Sam. Put him on."

A relieved Gibbs handed the phone over to Sam as he concentrated on his screaming infant.

Sam tried to calm down enough to talk. "Gummy come home."

His words were killing her. "I want to, Sam, but I have to work. I'm so sorry. I know you don't feel well."

"I'm sick," he cried.

"I know, monkey. But do you think you can be big boy brave until I get back?"

"I will try," he managed. "Come home soon, Gummy."

"I want to. I love you, Sam. Be good for your dad."

He pushed the phone back at Gibbs and stalked off towards his room. The phone back at his ear, he spoke quickly. "I should probably hang up before Jules leaps out of my arms. What'd you need?"

"It was stupid. Just wanted you to hug the kids for me and tell 'em Mommy loves them and says good night. I hate not being there to tuck them in."

"I will. Go catch the dirt bags."

"Be back as soon as I can." She hung up and leaned back, watching as the sights of Washington passed by her car window. She then closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on her upcoming op rather than the pain she felt from hearing the cries of her children wanting her. _It better be the best sex of your lives, you two._

Ryan fell back against the pillow, exhausted and sweaty. "_That_ was incredible." He looked down to see her blonde hair splayed across his chest.

"You got that right," she agreed. Holly perked her head up for a moment so she could look in his eyes. "You were definitely worth the wait."

His laughter was pained since he was still trying to catch his breath. He threaded his fingers through her hair to get a better look at her face. "You're so beautiful."

She smiled and leaned down to kiss his chest. "You are the sweetest man I've ever known."

Ryan had a wistful expression on his face. "I hope sweet doesn't translate to boring. I'm a simple carpenter, a dad… I'm guessing you've been with men far more exciting."

His humility astounded her. She wasn't sure where it came from, but she found it – and him – incredibly endearing. "I've had exciting. It's overrated. What I haven't had is a man who treats me like you do. We never run out of things to talk about, and you're so willing to share your thoughts with me. But we're also great when we're not talking."

Ryan smirked. "That we are. I gotta admit – I was a bit nervous. It's been a long time since I've made love to a woman."

Holly locked eyes with him as she ran her finger from his chest to his belly button. "I never would have known."

"Really?" She nodded. He smiled. "I'm glad I waited for the right woman."

Holly snorted. "_You're_ glad?" They both laughed until their passion reignited.

At Tony's apartment, he and Ziva were sitting on the living room couch, finishing up their pizza. Every once in a while, she'd catch him looking at the drawing on the wall. "Do you really think Gibbs and Jenny could lose custody of Sam?"

He sighed. "I hope not. I can't imagine not seeing that little guy stomping around in the bullpen from time to time."

Ziva narrowed her eyes at him. When she asked, she was wondering about how it would affect the boy's parents. She found it interesting that Tony was thinking about himself – and it concerned her. "Taking care of him was not just about helping out Gibbs for you, was it?"

He stopped eating for a moment and looked at her. "What are you asking, Ziva?"

"Before they came back from their honeymoon, I was worried you had become too… _attached_… to Sam. Once I learned Gibbs was his father, I assumed that was at the heart of your bond but now I am not so sure."

He scoffed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You enjoyed being his caregiver more than we realized, yes?"

"Who's the 'we' – and I don't know what your realization was?" He returned to eating his pizza, annoyed.

"Your friends, Tony. We were worried about you before, but now I think I am again."

He shrugged. "What does it matter? None if this is in my hands."

"But the fact that you wish it was is telling."

The very special agent shot her a look that implied she was crazy. "Telling of what?"

She smirked as she pointed teasingly at him. "I believe that you, Mr. Playboy of the Western world, want to be a father." Ziva ignored his baffled look as she got up to get another slice of pizza. "But is it to any child or just Sam?" she mumbled aloud as she headed off.

Once alone, Tony mulled over her words. _Man, am I losing my edge? This isn't good._

Ziva walked back in the room and was dismayed to see Tony didn't even notice. She sighed, realizing she and Abby were right to be concerned. She made a mental note to herself to call the Goth later to discuss what they should do next.

But was it just about Sam or paternal thoughts in general? Tony again looked at the drawing as he sank back against his couch, lost in thought.

Gibbs sank back into the rocking chair in the nursery, holding a fading Julia in his arms. Poor Sam, still not feeling well, had cried himself to sleep. Now it was just the two of them. "Let's see what book Mommy had ready to read to you next." He reached over and found, _Oh The Places You'll Go_, by Dr. Seuss. "This is a good one. No, Jules… don't touch Daddy's glasses. Great," he sighed as he tossed the smudged item on the table. "If you didn't want me to read to you, you could have just said so." She smiled at him and coo'ed a bit, making him laugh. "Thank you for finally settling down, young lady. I bet that bath helped, didn't it?"

He stood up and walked over to the crib before changing his mind. "I'm not ready to put you down just yet. We haven't spent nearly enough time together lately." Gibbs eased his way down to the floor, pulling his knees up so he could prop Julia against them. He held out the pinky from each hand so she could wrap her fingers around them. When she started kicking out her feet and smiling as she moved her head from side to side, it made him gush with pride. "I can't get over how cute you are." He rubbed one of his calloused fingers gently over her cheek, marveling at her soft skin. She gave him a look, and he almost gasped. "How did your mommy get in your eyes like that? That was definitely all Shepard," he laughed. He brought her toes up to his mouth and kissed each one. "You are yummy."

It was about 0220 by the time Jenny finally made it home. She was beyond exhausted, but at least she was able to do some good and it didn't feel like she had gone in for nothing. She quietly placed her keys in the dish by the door, armed the alarm and headed towards the bedrooms after removing her heels. She came upon Sam's first and poked her head in. He was taking up the entire bed, his arms and legs spread out. She grabbed the nearby chair and placed it next to his bed to watch him sleep for a bit. Even though she was tired, she was still wound up and needed to decompress. The moonlight lit up the room just enough for her to make him out and it warmed her heart to see him. The events of earlier in the day – Steve's threat – had been plaguing her thoughts. She had come to think of Sam as her son too, and she couldn't bear the thought of losing him. Of course they still had issues, his jealousy of Julia being chief among them, but it wasn't anything she felt they couldn't work out. More than anything, she knew he needed her and that she could make a difference. He'd been through so much already. Then again, _she_ had been through enough already too – never mind Jethro. She took one last look at him and resisted the urge she had to scoop him up in her arms for a hug. She knew he needed a good night's sleep to feel better, and she didn't want to deny him that. So she stood up, placed a light kiss on his forehead and headed down the hall.

When she got to the nursery, she didn't see Julia right away so she turned on the light. Jenny did her best not to panic when she didn't find her in the crib but she was worried. She shut the light again and headed to their bedroom next. When she opened the door, she stopped in her tracks – and smiled from ear to ear. Julia was sleeping sprawled out just like Sam had been – only parts of her were dangling across Jethro's face. Jenny immediately reached for her phone, making sure the flash was turned on. She stood directly over them and took the picture - quite pleased with the way it turned out.

Gibbs jostled awake because of the bright light. "Jen?"

She felt a momentary pang of guilt for waking him but then looked at the picture and was pleased with herself again. "Go back to sleep," she whispered as she began to change into pajamas.

He propped himself up on his elbow after gently removing his daughter's arm from his face. "Glad you're back."

She slipped under the covers, leaned over and kissed him. "Me too. What's munchkin doing in here?"

He laid back down and relaxed. "She insisted she didn't want to leave me."

Jenny smiled. "Oh she did, did she? What about Sam? How did things end up going with him?"

"Let's just say, I think he'll probably be glued to your side tomorrow."

As if on cue, their door swung open. "Gummy!" he shouted.

"Shhh. I'm here, monkey. What's wrong?" she whispered, not wanting to wake up her daughter.

He ran over to her side of the bed and started to crawl into it with her. "I can sleep here, right?"

"You know, Julia's here too. You okay with that?"

He looked across Jenny and saw that Julia was next to Gibbs. He looked back at Jenny and nodded. "Baby can stay over there with Gibbs. I get _you_," he sighed contentedly as he nestled against her.

Gibbs smiled. "Goodnight Sam, goodnight Mommy and goodnight Jules."

Jenny kissed the top of Sam's head as he snuggled into her. "Daddy?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe we should look for a bigger bed tomorrow."


	37. Chapter 37

A/N: I want to thank Jenny Shepard (reviewer, not the character) for her sweet comments, as always. You don't have to check every day though – I pretty much said I'm aiming for Sunday updates. But you could make an account and put it on alert to save you the trouble. Plus I'd be able to respond to you personally rather than here. Thanks to all who review – you guys make me very happy!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was early Saturday morning, and Gibbs assumed that he was the first to wake up. That is, until he felt something on his arm and looked down to see his daughter staring up at him. His lips curved upwards as he gently turned on his side, scooting the baby closer so he could kiss her head. It didn't take her long to find his finger and start to chew. The gums felt strange to the touch, but eventually her one tooth found his flesh. Happy that she was entertained, he glanced at his wife and realized she was waking up too.

Jenny looked to her right and saw that Sam was still there and cuddled up against her. She turned her head back towards Jethro, who was still playing with Julia, and smiled. The redhead reached for the fingers of his free hand and held them loosely as she stared deeply into his eyes. She mouthed "I love you" to him before turning her attention to their daughter.

Gibbs carefully removed his hand from Julia and noticed she became agitated. "I think someone's hungry. Want me to get her bottle ready, or do you want to breastfeed?"

Jenny sat up, unbuttoned her pajama top and then reached for the infant - thus answering his question. "I always prefer this way when possible," she said, relaxing as Julia latched on. "As big a pain as it can be at times, I'm going to miss it when she stops. I can't believe how fast she's growing. Where's the time gone?"

He laid his head down across her thighs, looking up at the action above him. "She's not that big yet. Just you wait." He turned a bit so he could rest his hand on her hip.

She raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"Getting comfortable," he mumbled, closing his eyes as he pressed a quick kiss to her thigh. With his thumb, he caressed her skin back and forth.

With her free hand, she threaded her fingers through his hair. "Uh huh. You're not trying to get me aroused, knowing I have two kids attached to me at the moment? Because that, my dear husband, would be… _unethical_."

He smiled as his mind wandered back to their first time together that second night in Marseille, when the use of that word first became a mantra describing their illicit relationship. Images swept over him of them sweaty and naked, finally giving in after months of sexual tension. He shifted around uncomfortably. "Who's doing the arousing now?"

She smiled mischievously, knowing full well where his mind had traveled. "Perhaps at naptime…" she teased.

When he growled in response, she couldn't help but laugh – which made him feel good. Little warmed his heart more than seeing her happy. Gibbs immediately sat up when he felt his head get slapped. "Hey?"

Jenny's whole body shook with laughter. "It was Sam. Apparently he wakes up violently. You okay, monkey?"

He started rubbing his eyes and mumbling to himself, amusing the two adults next to him.

Gibbs situated himself next to Jenny. He snaked his arm around her, resting his chin on her shoulder as he stared down at their breastfeeding baby. "I never hear you call her Jules."

She snorted. "That's your name for her. Besides, I prefer her full name. You're the only one I ever let call me Jen."

He smiled arrogantly. "What'll you do if someone calls her Julie?"

She rolled her eyes. "Deal, I suppose."

Both turned in surprise when they heard, "Yulie," followed by fits of giggles.

Jenny sighed.

"It's closer," shrugged Gibbs.

At a local coffeehouse, Ziva slowly sipped her beverage as she waited patiently for her companion to arrive.

"I'm here, I'm here, I'm here." Abby plopped down in her seat and reached for the Caf-Pow that was sitting there for her. "Thanks for getting this for me. So what's the scoop?" she asked.

Ziva tried not to laugh at the look of ecstasy that crossed the Goth's face as she took her first sip. Her mood quickly darkened. "I am worried about him."

Abby's shoulders slumped. "How bad was it?"

"Did you know that Sam drew him a picture on his wall, and he plans to keep it?"

"Well, that's kind of sweet." She saw the Israeli cringe. "Not sweet?"

Ziva tapped her finger on the table in front of her. "It is just… I am afraid that if Gibbs and Jenny lose custody of Sam, Tony may take it worse than they will!"

Abby frowned. "I doubt that. But I see your point. Sounds like our boy's in a funk. What can we do to get him out of it?"

"I do not think food alone will heal his hurt this time."

Black pigtails shook back and forth. "Definitely not," she sighed. "Should we call Mary?"

Ziva narrowed her eyes. "Do you really think _she_ is the person to get anyone out of a… funk?"

Abby gave it some thought. "Well, she is female, and he does like the ladies. And she _is_ the lady he's been liking lately," she said, smirking.

"True," she admitted grudgingly. "I suppose a phone call is in order?"

Abby grinned as she nodded vigorously. "Do you have her number?"

"No," sighed Ziva. "But I do know who does." She whipped out her cell phone and dialed.

Sam was running excitedly around the house yelling his head off, obviously feeling much better, when Jenny heard her cell phone. She glanced over at her husband and saw that he was trying to quiet a fussy Julia. She was about to yell for everyone to be quiet when she noticed it wasn't MTAC. "Morning, Ziva. What's up?" she asked, sounding rather harried as she slipped the phone between her shoulder and neck while she continued washing the dishes from breakfast.

The Israeli smirked at her companion. "Bad time, Jenny?"

She couldn't help but laugh. "No, this is pretty normal these days."

"Well, I will not keep you then. Could you give me your friend Mary's number?"

Jenny's eyes widened. She turned off the water, dried her hands and moved the phone to her hand. "Sure, but what's this about? Didn't exactly see you two as girlfriends."

"No. This is true. But Abby and I are… worried… about Tony, and we wanted to speak with her."

Gibbs saw his wife's mood darken.

Jenny leaned against the counter. "Why are you two worried about Tony?" she asked, eyeing her husband.

Ziva grimaced, lightly pounding her head. She hadn't thought far enough ahead to Jenny's reaction, not wanting to upset her friend. "Um… it is a long story. And you sound pretty busy so…"

Jenny had a feeling she knew and decided to let Ziva off the hook. "I'll text you the number as soon as we hang up."

"Thank you." She clicked a button and sat back in her chair.

Abby could see her friend physically relax. "Did you get it?"

As her phone vibrated from the text, Ziva nodded sadly. "I just hope I did not make things worse for them."

"What was that about? Something wrong with DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked as he handed Julia over to her mother.

"Could he know about our problems with Steve?" she whispered.

He thought back to the phone call in Abby's lab and nodded.

She adjusted the baby, hugging her to her shoulder. "Ziva and Abby are worried about him and wanted Mary's number."

He raised his eyebrows. "Yeah, wish them lots of luck with _that_ helping."

Jenny smirked. "Oh, stop it. Mary's great, and you know it." She ignored the look he was giving her. "So are we going bed shopping?"

"You were serious?" She nodded. He looked behind him and saw that Sam wasn't around. "Do you think maybe we should wait until after the lawyer meeting Monday?" He saw the horrified look on her face and immediately regretted his words. "Jen…"

She unconsciously gripped Julia tighter to her. "You really think we could lose him?" Her heart started pounding, and her breathing became more labored.

He wrapped one hand around her and cupped her face with the other, nervous she could zone out or have a panic attack. "Relax, I didn't mean to upset you. You know me. I think the worst. Only you can make me see otherwise."

"Jethro, there's no way we're giving up that easily, do you hear me?" She looked in his eyes, willing him to see things her way. Only when he nodded did she feel her own breathing even out. "So… what time should we go bed shopping?"

In San Diego, Holly was just waking up. Memories of the previous night's lovemaking were replaying in her mind, making her smile. He had been such a generous lover, treating her like a queen. She turned on her side, anxious to snuggle next to him and perhaps initiating a repeat performance – but she discovered he wasn't there. If it had been Jethro, she would have panicked, knowing full well he slinked out during the night. But this was Ryan, and the thought of him brought her comfort. She propped herself up on her elbow and waited for him to reappear.

Sure enough, two minutes later he came in carrying a tray. "Breakfast in bed for the beautiful lady. Or at least what I found that could pass for it," he laughed.

She shook her head and smiled, amused by him but warmed by the amazing feeling she had of trust in this very special man. "Did you sleep all right?"

He gently placed the tray down between them before he took a seat on his side of the bed, leaning over to kiss her briefly on the lips. "Better than I have in years," he whispered seductively. He took one of the forks, pierced a piece of melon and held it out for her.

She smirked as she leaned forward to bite the offered fruit. After chewing, she responded, "Me too."

Ryan took a sip of his coffee, never taking his eyes off her. "So do we have plans, or are we spending the day in bed?"

She laughed. "Well that's a plan too; don't discount the fun that can be had that way."

"Oh, I'm not, believe me. It's what I'm rooting for. Don't get me wrong – San Diego has plenty to see but I'm partial to the sight in front of me."

Holly was about to reward him with a kiss when her phone started ringing. She reached for it and sucked in her breath. "Jenny." She took a deep breath and answered. "Director, you do remember this is my weekend off, right?"

Jenny sighed. "I'm sorry to do this to you. High profile murder in San Francisco. Will need you to meet the L.A. team out there."

Holly cringed as she looked helplessly at Ryan. "Are you serious?" she asked, almost as a reflex from her disbelief. She then heard Jenny snort and start laughing.

"I'm sorry. I can't keep this up. Shut up, Jethro," she insisted, swatting him. "No, sorry Holly. It was a joke," she laughed. "Are things… working out all right?"

"Goodbye, Director," Holly said pointedly before hanging up on her. She looked at Ryan and shook her head. "My boss has a real evil streak," she said, laughing despite herself.

Jenny looked at her husband. "Happy?"

He smiled. "Very."

She shook her head. "OK, let's go shopping now."


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: HUGE thank you to both Prettycrazy and AliyahNCIS on this one (well always but REALLY on this one). FYI, I noticed that when leaving a review now, a default mechanism attached puts the author on your alerts – be sure to see what this annoying site is now doing before you review and make sure you approve. But do STILL review! Authors love the feedback and being appreciated (I know I'm not the only one). Thanks!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

"What?" Mary yelled into the phone as she glared at it in disbelief that someone had the nerve to call so early on a Saturday.

Ziva's eyes widened as she looked across the table at Abby. "Uh, Mary?"

The U.S. Marshal sighed, annoyed. "Who is this?"

"Ziva."

Mary was startled awake. "Jenny okay?"

"Yes she is, but…"

"Tony been shot?"

Ziva looked helplessly at Abby. "No, but…"

Bored already, Mary's eyes began to close. "So everyone there's okay, and no one I'm responsible for needs me?"

"Technically, but…" Ziva pulled the phone from her ear and looked at it. "She hung up on me! She is a very rude woman."

Abby looked at her watch and cringed. "We called before noon her time. It _is _Saturday."

Ziva shook her head, obviously annoyed – until she glanced at the time on her cell phone and realized it was indeed way too early. "Fine. We will call back this afternoon then. I can tell you this – she would never survive at Mossad."

Abby grinned. "I'm guessing Mossad would never survive Mary."

Gibbs was driving his family on this errand under protest. The idea of going to the mall – on a Saturday of all days – to shop was not something he would ever do on his own but since his wife felt it was necessary… He made sure to obey the speed limit and drive carefully since he was carrying precious cargo. He listened intently to Jenny, who was sitting in the back between the two kids, as she gave Sam a few instructions.

"You remember I told you that when we go out with your dad, he is acting as my bodyguard, right?" The young boy nodded. "So you need to make sure that you are always holding my hand or his or else we will get back in this car and head home. Am I understood?"

"Why?" he sighed, obviously frustrated.

"Because I said so, that's why," she insisted. She ignored the snort she heard from the driver.

Sam frowned. "Why?"

Jenny took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. It was at least the fourteenth "why" she'd gotten on the car ride over, and it was taxing her last nerve. "Because I don't want your dad to have to worry or work any harder to keep us safe than he needs to. He can't be chasing you around the store. The backyard, where it's safe, is fine - but not while we're out shopping. Do you understand?"

He gave her a strange look. "Okay."

Gibbs made eye contact with her through the rearview mirror. "You sure this is a good idea?" He saw a flash of anger cross her face and immediately regretted asking.

"Yes, I'm sure! This is a _normal_ thing that families do. We _can_ be normal."

"But we're not," he drawled.

"Jethro," she warned.

"I'm just sayin' Jen, I doubt most dads there'll be carrying."

Jenny narrowed her eyes at him.

He shrugged in response. "Better be home by naptime," he groused.

Jenny smirked knowingly.

Once they were parked, Gibbs took out the stroller and placed it on his daughter's side of the car before he headed over to fetch his son. Jenny got out, lifted Julia and carefully placed her in the buggy - admiring her tiny green dress. While she'd been a fan of fashion for most of her adult life, she never expected to be the type of mother who loved dressing up her baby too, but alas… she was. She sighed at the unfortunate realization but as soon as Julia batted her eyelashes at her, Jenny dropped the self-recriminations and was in awe all over again.

Gibbs lifted the boy into his arms and whispered, "I need your help keeping Gummy safe, okay? Let me know if you see anyone looking at her funny. I'm going to deputize you."

Sam's eyes widened as his dad placed him gently on the ground and knelt beside him. "You are?"

Gibbs nodded. He held up a tiny shield. "See this? You're official." He pinned the NCIS badge to Sam's shirt pocket and grinned at the boy's huge smile. "One other thing. We need to make sure this new bed she picks out isn't too girlie."

The young boy nodded seriously. "I know."

Gibbs held back a laugh. "Want to walk or sit on my shoulders?"

"Shoulders."

"All right then," Gibbs said as he carefully stood and hoisted him up. He looked at Jenny admiringly - her hair casually done up in a ponytail, wearing tight jeans, decent sized heels and a lavender blouse. "You gals all set over there?"

Jenny looked over at them and flashed her giant smile. "We are." She pushed the stroller, meeting up with the guys in front of the car. She raised her eyebrows at her husband and pursed her lips. "Normal."

He nodded curtly. "Yeah. Come on, Mrs. Normal."

"Don't go raining on my parade, Jethro," she added primly.

An hour later, Jenny was off in a corner of the store, fielding a call from MTAC, while an annoyed Gibbs held a crying Julia in his arms and Sam jumped up and down on a mattress display. "Stop it, Sam," he growled, ignoring the annoyed looks he was getting from several people shopping nearby.

The boy didn't care one bit what his father had to say and continued jumping.

Getting angrier by the second at his entire family, Gibbs put a still screaming Julia back in her buggy and then managed to grab Sam mid-jump. He unceremoniously dumped the defiant child on the ground, not letting go of his shoulders as he sat down on the bed next to him. "When I tell you to stop doing something, you listen."

Sam glared back at him. "Why?"

"Because I'm your dad – and the adult. That's why," he said, trying to maintain as much authority as he could while keeping his voice low.

Jenny rejoined them and sensed the tension. She immediately picked up Julia, who buried her tear-stained face into her mommy's neck and calmed down. "What's going on here?"

Gibbs turned his glare on her. "Oh nothing. Just _normal_ kid-like behavior. In a store. At the mall. On a _Saturday_."

She cringed but quickly added, "Just remember – _naptime_."

He eyed her carefully. "You're going to have to do something special to make it up to me."

Jenny kissed her daughter's head as she rubbed her back. "How's a special outfit?"

His eyes lit up, knowing that lingerie rarely if ever made an appearance lately. "It's a start."

She smirked. "Did you and Sam narrow down our choices? Looks like this one is his fave," she said, motioning to the young boy lying down a few feet away. "Sam, are you making a snow angel on that bed?"

He rolled onto his side, giggling like crazy. "Yes!"

Gibbs stood up and whispered, "Are you needed back at the office, Mrs. Normal?" he asked pointedly.

She frowned at his implication. "It's handled."

"Good," he said as he rubbed her back. "Uh oh, Sam!"

"I wanna try this bed now," he yelled back as he scampered off to an even larger bed. They watched, amused, as he struggled to climb up it but couldn't at first.

"That might be the one then," laughed Gibbs.

Jenny frowned. "Why, because he can't surprise us by climbing in? Just means I'll have to lift him each time."

"Hmm. Good point," he acknowledged. "The one we were just at was our fave so far. Want to lay down?"

The redhead nodded and handed the baby over before she laid down. She closed her eyes for a second and allowed herself to relax. "I like it." When Jenny opened her eyes, she saw that Gibbs had walked halfway between her and Sam, keeping an eye on both as he doted on their daughter. She also noticed she wasn't the only one staring at her husband. There seemed to be a small group of women doing the same. Jenny turned on her side and propped herself up on her elbow, amused when they gathered around him. A few complimented Julia's outfit, but the one in back was definitely checking out his ass.

Jenny shook her head, incredulous. "Flirting 101, please. Notice his ring any time, ladies. Though knowing how shameless some women can be, you probably won't care." She could tell he was oblivious to their intentions, which made her smile. She figured one must have finally inquired about a mother because he turned and pointed. Jenny looked at them knowingly and gave them a tiny wave, laughing to herself as they quickly scattered. _Oh yes, you'll get a very special outfit at naptime, Jethro. Good boy_.

A while later, Ziva was cleaning her apartment when her phone rang. "David."

"I've had my coffee now. What'd you need?"

The Israeli smirked. "Not a morning person, I take it?"

"Not on my days off," admitted the U.S. Marshal as she took another sip of her coffee. "So what's wrong, Ziva? I know you're not the chatty girl-talk kinda gal, which may I add, I highly respect and appreciate."

"It is Tony."

Mary leaned back in her chair. "I haven't heard from him in a while. Not that we were ever in touch much. Occasional emails, mostly between him and Marshall, which seems a bit creepy to me but whatever."

Ziva made a face. "Mary – stop. Let me fill you in then."

She rolled her eyes. "No need to get snippy."

"Have you spoken with Jenny lately about Sam?"

"Sam…" she mulled the name over, trying to jar her memory. "Is that the kid that showed up? Gibbs' kid?"

"Yes."

Mary shrugged. "I know there was some issue at some point for Jenny. Tony had me call her. Other than that…"

"The father he grew up with has woken up. He wants Sam back."

"Damn," she sighed. "Are Jenny and Gibbs okay? Never mind. That's a stupid question. Of course they aren't."

"It is Tony that I am worried about. Abby is too."

Mary made a face. "Tony? Why?"

"He is very attached to Sam. The thought of Gibbs losing custody of the boy has him very upset."

"Seriously?" she cringed. "Ew. Man, what is it with him and kids all of a sudden?"

Ziva was beginning to realize that Mary might not have been the right person to ask for help.

Back at the Gibbs house, the family had finished lunch and it was time for Sam to take his nap – except he didn't want to. Gibbs was having none of that and sat the boy on his bed. "You have to take your nap. I want you to stay in your room until you see the number one on this clock."

"What if I can't sleep?" he whined.

"I don't care. You stay in here and play with your toys. Just be quiet. And here – let's play some music for you. Does that help?"

Sam shrugged.

"Am I understood? Not until you see the number one," he added in a stern tone. Sam's eyes widened as he nodded his head. "That's more like it."

Once outside his son's door, Gibbs checked his watch. He had agreed to give Jenny 10 minutes to get ready, and it was just about up. After thinking back to their first time earlier that morning and then watching her move in those tight jeans while shopping, he had been shifting around uncomfortably for some time already. He ran his fingers through his hair as he paced back and forth outside their bedroom door, waiting for her to give the signal that he could enter. He almost busted the door in when she whistled.

"I've never seen this before," he managed, trying to pick his mouth up off the floor. He gazed at her, leaning invitingly against the bathroom door jam. Her hair down, she had on a form-fitting sheer black negligee that nearly touched her obscenely high heels. He swallowed heavily as he raked his eyes over the long slit up the side.

"Have I sufficiently made things up to you for dragging you out to the mall on a Saturday?" she purred.

"Shhhh," he insisted as he slipped off his shoes and socks. "We're in Marseille now. No mall talk."

Jenny shook her head as she walked towards him. "No, we're right here," she teased as she began her seduction, unbuttoning his shirt. "I watched as those women drooled all over you."

He scoffed. "They drooled over the drooler."

She smiled. "No, darling. It wasn't Julia's ass they were checking out."

He smiled, his chest puffing out a bit. "_Really_?"

She nodded as she lifted his undershirt over his head. "Really." He tried to put his hands on her but she removed them. "Not yet."

"Did you get jealous?" he asked, as she got rid of his belt.

She didn't take her eyes off his as she undid his jeans. "I knew which woman you were going home with," she whispered.

Tired of letting her be in control, he quickly shimmied out of his jeans and scooped her up into his arms. "And who I'd be making love to." He carefully placed her down on the bed that would soon be replaced. He removed her heels before he straddled her legs. He then slowly and systematically kissed her legs. Inch by inch, he lifted her negligee. As more skin was revealed, kisses soon followed.

"Jethro, I love you but we don't have all day," she hissed as her hands found his hair.

"Never could pace yourself, Jen."

"Shut up," she laughed wickedly.

A few hours later, there was a knock on the door. Jenny smiled when she saw Tony. "I'm glad you could make it for dinner. I know it'll make Sam very happy." She also knew it would make one very special agent happy. After talking with Ziva, it was the best idea they could come up with to help their friend.

"Thanks for asking me, Jenny. It means a lot. Where's the boss?"

She motioned her head towards the kitchen. "In there. Ask him for a beer."

He laughed. "Thanks."

As Tony did just that, Jenny went to the living room to straighten up. She found Sam sitting on the couch watching "Toy Story," which was normal enough, but he didn't have any pants on and was playing with himself. She was a bit taken aback and looked at him curiously. "Sam? I'm not sure you should be doing that."

He looked at her and shrugged. "It likes when I touch it."

She smirked. "Oh, I don't doubt that for a second. I'm just not sure… well… hmm..."

"Gummy, why my peepee get pointy when I touch it?"

Jenny's mouth fell open. "Um… maybe you should ask Daddy; he's good with that kind of stuff. I'll send him in here." She quickly headed into the kitchen. "Jethro, you need to go talk with your son. Take Tony as backup maybe."

The two men looked at each other and then at her. Gibbs narrowed his eyes. "Something wrong?"

"No. Probably not. I don't know. I have zero experience with little boys," she admitted as she tried to busy herself checking on dinner.

"Jen? What is it?"

She kicked the oven door closed and put her hands on her hips. "I found him out there, pants off, playing with himself."

Both men choked on their beers. "Yeah, I got this," said Gibbs. He motioned for Tony to join him.

Jenny sighed in relief as she watched them go. She then decided to hover nearby and listen in – knowing all the variables were in place for some great comedy.

Gibbs and Tony found Sam in the same state and each sat on one side of him. Neither seemed anxious to start the conversation and instead stared ahead at the movie.

"Hi Tony! I'm watching 'Toy Story' again."

"I can see… that," he snickered.

Behind the door, Jenny rolled her eyes.

Gibbs took another sip of liquid courage. "You know, Sam, you should probably not touch yourself when you're around other people."

"But it likes it."

Both men nodded in agreement, saying, "Oh yeah."

"So why not?"

Gibbs grimaced and looked to Tony - who could only shrug.

Sam looked at his dad seriously and asked, "My peepee gets harg when I touch it. Gummy says you are goog at it!"

Tony spit out his beer.

Gibbs shook his head and sighed. He caught Jenny peeking from around the corner, looking like she was about to burst out laughing. She pointed at herself and shook her head, denying the boy's words but obviously still amused. He glared at her before turning his attention back to his son. "Do me a favor, okay Sam? Just do that in your own room. And try to keep your pants on."

"Why?"

Tony could see that Gibbs was struggling and jumped in. "It's not something you're supposed to share with others, Sam. It's for private time."

Gibbs nodded his head gratefully. "Yeah, what DiNozzo said."

Sam shrugged. "Okay."

Both men leaned back against the couch and sighed with relief.

After dinner, Sam went back to finish watching his movie while the adults sat around the kitchen table.

Jenny eyed the younger man carefully. "I heard you're pretty worried about the custody issue," she admitted quietly.

Tony nodded. "I overheard your call," he said, looking at Gibbs.

The other man sighed. "Yeah, I know. We'll take care of this. We're not going to lose him."

Tony looked from one to the other. "But will you be able to stop him?"

Jenny reached for her husband's hand and squeezed it. "That's the plan. We'll know better after our meeting on Monday with the lawyer. In the meantime, we don't want you to let this affect you."

The very special agent leaned back in his chair. "How can it not? I love that little guy too. If Steve took him away, and we never saw him again…"

Gibbs looked at him, intensity in his eyes. "Do you really think I'd ever let that happen?"

Tony knew he shouldn't say what he was about to, but he couldn't help it. "What if you can't stop it?"

"We'll worry about that after we're told we should. Tony, why don't you go spend some time with him now?" offered Jenny.

He nodded and headed off to the living room.

Gibbs, still holding Jenny's hand, drew her to his lap. "What if I can't?"

"I refuse to believe that could even be a possibility," she insisted as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She closed her eyes as she felt him hold onto her for dear life.


	39. Chapter 39

A/N: I promise the next chapter will have the meeting with the lawyer. Just had to deal with Sunday. Hope you enjoy – thanks to everyone who reviews! They make my day and are greatly appreciated. Anyone who doesn't get a review reply from me, either you haven't signed in or your PMs are disabled because I always answer back. If that's the case and you don't want a response – I am grateful you're still leaving your thoughts! THANKS!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was early afternoon on Sunday. The entire Gibbs family was bathed, dressed and ready for the day's big event – a mid-afternoon barbecue with the Brooks family. Gibbs wasn't thrilled that Jenny accepted the invitation the night before but seeing how happy it made Sam lessened his annoyance.

The car was packed up except for the humans it was transporting. Jenny was carrying Julia, who was sporting cute little green pants and a shirt with different colored flowers on it. She had packed some bottles, freeing herself for wine just in case. She looked at her husband and narrowed her eyes. "What's with you?"

He wrestled with how much to say, but he could tell she wasn't going to let it go. "I was looking forward to a quiet day with my family after yesterday's mall nightmare," he said pointedly.

She walked over to where he was and shifted the baby in her arms to face him. "I hate to break it to you, _Daddy_, but the days of getting your own way and hibernating in the basement are pretty much over. Your kids need to be around other children. We don't want them becoming anti-social like—"

Gibbs glared at his wife, stopping her mid-sentence – though it did cause her to smirk. "I like being alone with my family. What's wrong with that?"

Jenny looked at him carefully, sensing he was holding something back, but she decided to let it go. "Nothing. It's sweet, but the kids do need more even if we don't." She kissed him briefly on the lips. "Let's go."

Once she passed, he scrubbed his hand down his face. "Okay," he grumbled.

An hour later, they were settled at the Brooks' house, hanging outside on the backyard porch. Gibbs noticed the woods surrounding the back of the property and wasn't happy. It added to his already agitated state. He sat away from the other adults, keeping an eye on the two boys. Sam and Dylan were running around, playing cops and robbers with sticks acting as guns. Julia and Caroline were in front of him in adjacent playpens.

Jenny had no idea why her husband was in such a funk, but she decided to ignore him. She was happily enjoying a glass of wine, great conversation with new friends - and the kids were occupied and having fun.

Frannie leaned over conspiratorially. "OK, I stayed off Google like you asked. But I have to tell you - I'm dying to know what you meant about coming back from the dead."

The redhead smiled. "Thank you for letting me be the one to explain. It's a long story, but I will give you the Cliff Notes. A few years ago, I witnessed a murder. The killer, who was CIA, knew I did and placed a hit on me. My death was faked, and I was stuck in Witness Protection for a year until the trial was over."

Roger, knowing parts of the story, smiled at his wife's obvious shock. "That's our Jenny, just like every other mom at the preschool," he laughed.

She looked over at Gibbs and saw him smirking. "Not a word from you."

He held up his hands in surrender.

Frannie, incredulous, tried to pick her mouth up off the floor. "I obviously don't know a lot about Witness Protection, but I didn't realize you're allowed to leave it."

Jenny leaned back against her chair, tightened her ponytail and sighed. "Well, most can't."

Frannie looked at her friend quizzically. "How come you were able? The guy's safely in jail?"

"Oh no," she shared. "After he was convicted, he escaped."

Roger looked at his wife. "You really didn't see anything about this on the news?" He saw her face. "Oh that's right – you don't watch the news. Maybe this will inspire you," he snickered.

Jenny grimaced, realizing this was a bone of contention for the couple. Part of her was relieved that her marriage wasn't the only one with awkward moments.

Frannie ignored him. "So what happened after he escaped?"

Roger couldn't help but smile. "Just more normal housewife and mother type things."

Jenny heard her husband snort behind her. She tried to find a delicate way to explain what happened but realized there really was no easy way around the facts. "He found us in New Mexico. There was a battle, and he ended up dead."

Roger pretended to cough as he sputtered out, "Jenny killed him." He then cleared his throat, ignoring the fact that both women were glaring at him. He felt justified when he saw that Gibbs was smiling.

Frannie, eyes wide, turned her attention back to her guest. "Did you?"

Jenny, looking uncomfortable, hesitated. She quickly felt her husband's hands on her shoulders as he stood above her.

"That's my nice, _normal_ wife," he said, moving one hand up to pet her head – careful not to mess up her hair. He gasped as he felt her elbow connect with his stomach. "Gentle soul," he added through clenched teeth, doubled over in pain.

Jenny looked at Frannie and shrugged.

The brunette smiled as she leaned back and took a sip of her wine. "As if you weren't already interesting."

A little while later, Gibbs begrudgingly followed Roger inside to help him bring out some of the food they would be barbecuing. When they came back out, he frowned after noticing that Jenny and the boys were nowhere to be seen. He glared at Frannie. "Where'd they go?"

She pointed to the other side of the yard. "Dylan wanted to show them something in the woods." The woman was shocked by the anger she saw immediately flash in the ice blue eyes of her guest. "Jenny's with them. Don't worry."

"Damn her." Gibbs quickly put the stuff he was carrying down and took off for the woods.

Aghast, Frannie looked at her husband – who shrugged, obviously having no better idea about what just happened than she did.

Gibbs headed towards the sea of trees and brush, listening for their voices to guide him to their location. It didn't take long to find them surrounding a large burned out stump. He tried to keep his temper in check, not wanting to scare the kids.

Sam spotted him first. "Look Gibbs! Gylan's showing us his spaceship. Isn't it cool?"

Gibbs nodded tightly. "It is, Sam. Okay everyone, let's head back to Dylan's house."

Jenny looked at him oddly, sensing the tension. "It really is cool, Jethro. He's really used his imagination—"

"Great," he said over her. "Let's go."

The boys, not thinking twice, bounded on ahead. Gibbs had Jenny by the arm and was leading her quickly. "Jethro, what's going on?"

"Not here – we'll talk inside," he barked back under his breath.

Now Jenny was getting pissed off. "Perhaps you should unhand me, lest you want our new friends to think you are a controlling _ass_ - even if you are," she spat before she plastered on a smile for appearance's sake.

The look on their hosts' faces made him realize she was right, so he immediately let go of her arm. "Kitchen. Now."

"I'll meet you there," she said, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice. She watched him enter the house before she turned to Frannie and Roger. "Sorry. Would you mind watching the kids—"

Frannie jumped in. "Of course we will. You do what you need to do."

Jenny nodded her gratitude. She took a deep breath, a last sip of her wine and then headed inside.

Frannie looked at her husband and whispered, "Yikes. They certainly don't act like most newlyweds I've seen. They weren't even sitting next to each other, there was tension – and that was before he freaked out."

Roger shook his head. "Stay out of it, Frannie. You never know what's going on in other people's marriages."

She frowned. "I guess, but he sure seems awfully controlling. If you ever acted like that with me…"

He smiled. "I know better, don't worry."

"Glad to hear it," she said, touching his arm.

Inside the house, Jenny found Gibbs pacing by the refrigerator, which was partially obscured by all the things that were lining the countertop island. It housed the sink in it and separated the kitchen from the living room. She took another deep breath and approached the ball of anger she saw before her. "Let 'er rip, Jethro. But keep your voice down."

He turned to face her, his eyes flaring. "You know better than that! What the hell were you thinking going into the woods?"

She sighed. "Why? Because some random hit man may have followed us here and waited there - just on the off chance? Honestly?"

Gibbs got in her personal space. "What happened to not questioning me about your security?" The look on her face let him know he was getting through so he continued. "Add to that you had the boys! We can't put Sam, never mind Dylan, in danger like that!" He noticed her struggling with what to say. "Come on, Jenny. You're smarter than that – you _need_ to be smarter than that. I know you want to be normal but get over it. You're not!" He watched as she leaned against the fridge, looking defeated. He almost felt badly about badgering her but if it was what it took to get through to her…

"Fine," she sighed. "I will cop to that perhaps not being the brightest move I've ever made but something has been gnawing at you since before we even got here! You were upset, and it was more than just the fact we were socializing with people. What's really going on?"

He sighed, obviously irritated. "Maybe it's your choice of _who_ those people were."

"What's wrong with the Brooks?" she whispered.

Annoyed, Gibbs looked around to make sure everyone was still out of earshot. "You know I'm on edge about this Steve custody issue, yet you decided it was a good idea to hang out with his best friends? What were you thinking?"

Jenny froze. She hadn't even thought of that angle. But rather than admit it, she went on the defensive. "Damn it, Jethro! I like them. If they mention him, we'll just steer the conversation in another direction. Frannie wanted their family to spend time with us, and it's good for Sam."

He frowned. "And not bad for you, either, apparently."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, incensed.

"You sure seemed to be having an awfully good time with them, holding court."

"No one told you to go sulk in the corner!"

"Jen," he growled warningly.

Outside, Frannie was looking nervously at Roger. "It's been a while. Maybe you should go inside and check on them. Say you needed to bring out some more rolls or something."

"And do what?"

"Just make sure Jenny's okay."

He laughed. "I'm betting Jenny can hold her own. Maybe it's Gibbs who needs help."

Frannie rolled her eyes. "I just worry about them. I want to know for Sam's sake… for Vivienne's sake… that they're okay and Sam isn't in a bad situation."

He nodded, understanding finally what was really motivating his wife. He headed inside, much to her relief.

As Roger approached the kitchen, he heard the couple arguing. He stayed around the corner, waiting for the right moment to interrupt, unwilling to get in their way if things were beginning to work themselves out. He peered around the corner, but for the most part things on the counter obscured them.

"We've been in here long enough. It's rude, Jethro. I'm heading back out. If you want to stay and pout, that's perfectly up to you," she said icily. She started to walk away, but he grabbed her – only he missed his intended target. Her eyes widened as her mouth dropped. She turned her head a bit to glare at him. "_That…_ isn't my arm." Her anger grew when he didn't let go.

Shocked, Roger watched as Jenny did something he couldn't see but when Gibbs sucked in his breath, he had a pretty good idea.

Jethro swallowed heavily before cocking his head at his wife and raising an eyebrow. "_That_… isn't _my_ arm."

Jenny looked down at his hand on her, which hadn't budged, and then back at him. "Leggo… my Eggo."

He did his best not to laugh but raised his eyebrows. "You leggo _my_ Eggo."

Roger continued to watch, caught up in their amusement. But when the moment turned electric, and the two started kissing passionately, he quickly backed away. Once outside, he laughed as he headed over to Frannie, who was holding a fussy Caroline.

She looked at him, confused. "What's so funny?"

He sat down, reaching for his beer. "I don't think you have to worry about those two. Our countertop might need scrubbing after this."

Frannie narrowed her eyes at him. "Why's that?"

"Let's just say, they _are_ acting like newlyweds. Things were looking pretty hot and heavy when I left," he laughed. He missed seeing the panicked look on Frannie's face.

"Did we miss something funny?"

Roger choked on his beer, not expecting the couple to be out so soon. He looked over his shoulder at Gibbs, who voiced the question, and smiled to see him and Jenny holding hands. "Oh nothing."

Wanting to help her husband out, Frannie quickly changed the subject. "So, what's going on with Steve?"

Ignoring her husband's glare and the death grip her hand was suddenly in, Jenny smiled. "He's recovering. So… how's dinner coming along? What do you need me to do?"

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

A/N: For those of you too young or not from the U.S., Eggos are a brand of waffles and that ad campaign of "Leggo my Eggo" was pretty popular here and both of them are more than old enough to remember it.


	40. Chapter 40

A/N: For this chapter, I really want to give a special shout-out thank you to Kikilia14 for the legal help! You are awesome! Thanks to everyone for patience in waiting for this chapter; hope it satisfies. And as always – huge thank you to everyone kind enough to leave a review! By the way, I find critiques/criticism as wonderful to receive as praise (because I learn from it) but if you do leave that kind of review, it's only fair to sign in so I can at least respond. ;) And a big welcome back/thanks to HuddyJibbsAddict for reading/reviewing every chapter!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was around 0400. Jenny felt like she hadn't gotten any sleep. Rather than dreams or nightmares clouding her mind, she was plagued by anxious thoughts. A particularly painful memory from several years prior came to the forefront, causing her to wake with a start. She propped herself up on her elbows, throwing her head back in frustration when she heard a tiny voice.

"You okay, Gummy?"

She looked down in surprise. "When did you get here, monkey?" she whispered, slightly amused at his new stealth ability. _He really is his father's son._

Sam shrugged. "A little while ago."

Jenny sat up, brought him onto her lap and wrapped her arms around him. "Did you have another nightmare?" She felt him nod against her. She kissed the top of his head and rubbed his back. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm okay now. Wanna talk about yours?"

She pursed her lips together, touched by his thoughtfulness if not a bit stunned by how intuitive he was at such a young age. "I'm okay too, but thank you very much for asking. You're such a sweet boy," she cooed, smoothing out his hair with her fingers. "Should we try going back to sleep here, or would you like me to walk you back to your room and tuck you back in?"

He thought about it for a second. "I can go by myself. Big boy now."

"Okay," she agreed, almost sadly. "Just don't go growing up too fast." When he started to get down, she reached for his shoulder. "One more thing, okay?"

"What?"

"I want to make sure that you know how much your daddy and I love you. We love you with all our hearts. You know that, right?" She wasn't sure, but Jenny thought she could make out a smile on his face in the darkness.

"You silly, Gummy. I _know_," he said, in that "duh" tone of voice. He reached out to touch her cheek and whispered, "I love you, Gummy."

He turned and walked out of their room, not noticing the tears that had fallen down her face. She felt her husband's hand move around her waist, pulling her close against him.

"I love Gummy, too," he said, his breath warm against her ear. "But I _do_ want to know what startled you awake."

She turned to face him and felt his hand caressing her cheek. She knew he felt the dampness, but to his credit he didn't say a word. "I'm okay, Jethro. We should go back to sleep."

"Jen?" he asked in that tone of voice that let her know he wasn't going to drop it. "Talk to me."

She sighed as she sat up, bending her knees and resting her chin on them. "I can't sleep."

Gibbs sat up too. He reached one arm around her waist and the other under her knees and moved her to his lap. "Me either. But something got to you. What was it?"

She tried to find his eyes in the moonlight. "I've been thinking about the lawyer meeting later today."

"That wasn't it."

She huffed and shook her head sadly, realizing he knew her too well to let her continue stonewalling him. "For some reason, my mind drifted back to you in the hospital."

He narrowed his eyes. "After I was shot?"

She shook her head again. "Blown up. Do you remember when I visited you? You became very upset because you couldn't recognize that terrorist?"

He nodded. "Pinpin Pula."

"They had to sedate you. You looked at me and released this… this strangled… cry… because you missed your family so much. You wanted Shannon and Kelly so badly, and I will _never_ forget the pain I saw in your eyes or heard in your voice. It haunted me for a long time."

Gibbs sighed as he held her tightly against him. He knew she didn't want or need him to apologize. It was truth – Jen wouldn't want anything else. He swallowed heavily, not wanting to think about those feelings again or how much their loss still made his heart hurt. "Why now?"

"I think I'm nervous if the meeting doesn't go our way later, what it will do to you."

He threaded his fingers through her hair and then relaxed his forehead against hers. "I'm nervous about the same thing - and what it will do to _you_."

Jenny sighed. She turned so she could straddle her husband, wrapping her arms and legs around him. "Let's just hold each other," she said, relaxing her head against his shoulder.

He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent to comfort him. "_Everything_, Jen," he whispered as she squeezed him more tightly to her.

A couple of hours later, they were in the kitchen preparing to leave. Jenny was filling up Julia's bag. She went to the pantry and eyed the rice baby cereal. She held it up to her husband. "Did you see the way she was grabbing at my food yesterday? I think it may be time to start her on baby food."

Gibbs, who was holding their daughter as he drank his second cup of coffee that morning, nodded. "Weren't you also going to pack her sippy cup and try that out?"

She popped out of the closet, looked at her husband and smiled. "Say that again."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "What?"

"Sippy cup. It's not something anyone would expect to hear coming out of big bad Leroy Gibbs," she teased.

He rolled his eyes as he turned his attention to Julia. "Your mom is being very silly. Not something any agents would expect out of big bad Director Shepard."

"Uh oh, you just reminded me of something I forgot to tell you," she admitted, looking a bit sheepish.

He placed his coffee cup down on the island and sighed. "What now?" he asked, moving Julia to his shoulder. Gibbs felt the hair on the back of his neck begin to stand up. She looked almost giddy.

She slowly walked towards him, almost in a stalking manner. "I had what I thought was a brilliant idea, and SecNav signed off on it."

"Spit it out, Jen. You look like you're about to burst."

"New probies start today."

"And?" he drawled.

"I decided that each week, a different probationary agent will be assigned to a team, to see how different ones work - and how different team leaders operate."

He frowned. "You're doing this just to irritate me, aren't you?"

"Jethro, I really do think it will benefit everyone involved. Watching how much it irritates you and the other team leaders is just bonus," she said matter-of-factly. "Sam," she called out. "I have your sandwich ready. Where's your backpack?"

"Here," he called from the living room.

Jenny started out of the kitchen but Gibbs grabbed her arm.

"Was this really necessary to do to me today of all days?" he grumbled.

"I'm not doing it _to_ you but rather _for_ all of NCIS. Bad timing. At least you're getting a heads-up. None of the other team leaders are." She gently tapped his cheek. "Benefits of being married to the boss. Don't glare at me. I don't want you teaching Julia any bad habits, thank you very much." She leaned down and tickled her daughter under her chin. "You are not to learn that glare, you hear me young lady?"

Gibbs growled.

Jenny frowned at her husband before switching to a smile for the baby. "No growling either."

He watched as she headed towards Sam, full of bravado. She was a whirlwind of activity this morning and he knew why – and he knew better than to call her on it. She had her own way of dealing with pressure and from her behavior thus far, he'd gage that her stress level was just short of being off the charts. He walked to the doorway and watched her kneel next to Sam. He was happily telling her something about Simon, and she was looking at him like it was the most interesting story in the world. After, he lunged forward and wrapped his arms around her neck.

Gibbs turned around and leaned against the wall. His anxiety kicked into overdrive as he worried what bad news from the lawyer would do to them all – especially Jenny. He wanted to stay positive, but it just wasn't his nature. He looked down at his daughter. "Love you, Jules," he said quietly as he pressed a kiss to her head.

A few hours later, Gibbs was in the bullpen, barking orders at the team when he received a call that his presence was requested in the director's office. He grabbed his coffee and headed upstairs.

After he was safely out of earshot, McGee looked at his coworkers. "Please tell me this isn't the new normal. Or would that be the old normal?"

Ziva walked around her desk so she wouldn't be yelling across the room. She looked at Tony. "This is about the custody meeting, yes?"

He nodded tightly but kept his eyes on his computer screen. "That would be my guess. Cut him some slack, you guys."

Ziva and Tim shared a look - both worried about Tony… and Gibbs.

The very special agent stopped typing and looked at his two coworkers. "Hey - either of you have any idea why Mary sent me a care package of food?"

Tim shrugged as Ziva quietly made her way back to her desk, ignoring the question.

Gibbs ignored Cynthia and walked into his wife's office. He stopped short when he saw a young muscular man with short red hair sitting across from her. "You asked to see me?"

Jenny stood up. "Special Agent Gibbs, this is probationary agent Sean Hamilton. He's being assigned to your team this week. I would… appreciate… if you could show him how the major case response team operates."

Gibbs glared at the agent and could see fear in his eyes. He liked when his reputation preceded him. He extended his hand. "Welcome to NCIS."

The young man relaxed a bit as he shook his hand. "Thank you, sir."

"Don't call me sir. Wait outside."

"Will do, sir… I mean…"

Gibbs glared at him again and the agent quickly exited the office, closing the door behind him.

Jenny sighed as she sat back down in her chair. "Don't be too hard on him, Jethro. He finished at the top of his class. I'd like for him to stick around."

He tossed his empty coffee cup, walked around her desk and leaned against it. "Meeting's in two hours. I'll be in the field, but I'll be there. Will you?"

She stood up and leaned into him, her face inches from his own. "You know I want to be there with you more than anything." He nodded. "That said, it's going to be tight. If I'm caught in traffic or anything, call me so I can at least hear everything, okay?"

"Okay." Gibbs tried to hide his disappointment, but he could see in her eyes she knew. He stood up and took her in his arms. "Love you."

Jenny squeezed him tightly to her. "I love you, too. We'll get through this." She let go of him and sat back down as he headed out the door. "We have to," she said under her breath.

Gibbs motioned with his finger for Sean to follow him. Once in the bullpen, he pointed to the cubicle on the other side of McGee. "You sit there."

Tony looked at Ziva and McGee and then back to Gibbs. "What's going on, Boss?"

He went around his desk and gathered his things. "Probationary Agent Sean Hamilton will be joining us this week, per orders from the director. McGee – show him how to gas up the truck," he said, tossing him the keys. "Abby's tests pinpointed a probable location. We need to canvas the area." He handed a post-it with the address to Tony and looked around at his agents who were moving rather slowly. "_Now_," he shouted as he headed for his own car.

Sean looked at Tim. "Is he always like this?"

Tim sighed as he motioned for the probie to follow him.

In San Diego, Ryan was packed and getting ready to take a cab to the airport. He looked at Holly and took her hands in his. "Thank you for an amazing weekend."

"First of many, I hope." She looked in his eyes. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, sadly. "I wish we lived closer, is all. Long distance isn't easy."

A knot began to form in her stomach. "Are you having regrets?"

Ryan saw the concern in her eyes, and he immediately put his arms around her. "About being with you? No way," he scoffed. "What about you?"

She smiled. "This weekend went even better than I imagined. I wish you didn't have to go and that I didn't have to work - but that's life."

"Very pragmatic," he mused.

"Comes with 20 years in the Army, I suppose. Have a safe trip back, and give Missy my regards."

He nodded. "Call you when I land."

"I'd like that." Holly kissed him deeply and then watched as he headed for his cab. Once he was out of sight, she closed the door and leaned against it. She tried to ignore the sinking feeling she had that he wasn't going to be able to handle the distance for too long.

Gibbs was at the lawyer's office, pacing back and forth as he waited for Jenny. They'd spoken five minutes earlier, and her car was about a mile way. He was soon called into Ed Fine's office and told to take a seat. Gibbs wasn't sure how he was going to sit still – his anxiety level was way too high. Perhaps five cups of coffee already wasn't his smartest move. He was about to try Jenny again on the phone when the lawyer arrived.

"Sorry for the delay, Agent Gibbs. I was looking over your file. Will Director Shepard be joining us?"

The door flew open. "Sorry I'm late." Jenny saw the relief on her husband's face as he stood to greet her. She quickly took a seat next to him. Out of sight of the lawyer, she reached for his hand and held on for dear life.

Ed Fine looked at them both. "So what was it you wanted to discuss today?"

Gibbs took a deep breath. "You're familiar with the case, right?" The lawyer nodded. "Sam's stepfather is threatening to take him and not allow us visitation. He said because he was married to Vivienne at the time, it makes him the legal father."

"Which doesn't make sense to us," added Jenny, "since it's Jethro's name on the birth certificate. We're wanting to know his rights."

Gibbs nodded, squeezing her hand.

The lawyer made a face. "I take it the stepfather isn't a lawyer?" Jenny and Gibbs looked at each other and shook their heads. "Didn't think so. He's dead wrong. He has no rights to your son whatsoever. That's not to say he can't petition for visitation and probably get it."

Gibbs and Jenny looked at each other, their relief apparent. He was the first to find his voice. "So you're saying…"

"I'm saying that we can file the paperwork for permanent custody as soon as you want. It should be granted with no issues. Would you like me to get started on that?"

The husband and wife both nodded emphatically.

Ed smiled. "I'll go talk with my assistant about getting the ball rolling. I'll be right back."

As soon as he left the room, Jenny and Gibbs stood up and held each other. "Thank God," he said as he hugged her to him. He thought she'd be thrilled but he felt her tense up.

She pulled back to look him in the eye. "Jethro, while you and I are relieved, there's one person who won't be."

"And I'll be more than happy to break the news to him."

Jenny shook her head. "I don't mean Steve."

Gibbs looked at her and quickly realized she meant Sam. "Yeah," he sighed.

"That's one conversation I'm not looking forward to us having with him."

Gibbs scrubbed his hand down his face. "Any ideas how to do it?"

Jenny hugged her arms around herself. "I guess we really don't have to worry about it until Steve's getting ready to be released."

"Kick the can down the road?"

She nodded. "Not ideal, I realize, but maybe with the added time, he'll become more attached to us?"

"Enough to make him willingly choose us over Steve?" he asked, his tone indicating he didn't think it was possible.

"Who am I kidding? This is going to be a nightmare no matter when we tell him."

Gibbs nodded as he took her in his arms.


	41. Chapter 41

A/N: Thanks for the great feedback – love hearing what you guys have to say about what's going on here. Hope you enjoy this one – and thanks for your continued support reading. I appreciate all of you so much.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

After the meeting with the lawyer, Gibbs left to rejoin the team in the field. As soon as Tony saw him approaching, he went to meet him halfway. Gibbs let the corners of his mouth turn slightly upwards before he gave a curt nod to his senior field agent. The younger man's relief was obvious. "Get back to work, DiNozzo," grunted Gibbs as he headed off to join the others.

Tony grinned from ear-to-ear before he regained his composure and followed his boss.

Back at NCIS, Jenny's day was jam-packed with meetings. She was relieved that her current one was a simple conference call with SecNav and Holly. She and her second-in-command came on around the same time and were notified that their boss would be five minutes late.

Jenny took a sip of her coffee and leaned forward in her chair. "That sounds like just enough time for you to fill me in on your weekend."

Holly was amused as she shook her head slowly. "You're nothing if not predictable, Director."

"And you know you're dying to tell me. So spill."

The blonde leaned back in her chair, unable to stop smiling. "Let's just say, I'm still grateful that you wanted to set me up with him."

Jenny, obviously pleased with herself, grinned. "Excellent. I'm very happy for you both."

"Me too," she said quietly, still a bit worried about the distance. Holly was anxious to change the subject. "How are things going on your end? Are you feeling any better about Sam?"

The director smiled. "He's such an amazing little boy. And we got some great news today. As the biological father, Jethro gets full custody."

Holly narrowed her eyes. "But what about the man who raised him? He has no rights?"

Jenny tried not to get defensive. "We don't plan to cut him out of Sam's life. He'll still get visitation. But he was threatening to take Sam away and never let us see him again."

"Oh. I'm guessing there's a whole lot more to this than you're saying, but I'm glad it's working out for you both. I do feel badly for his other dad. He's lost… everything. And it wasn't his fault. So as the stepparent, he has no rights to the boy he raised his entire life - other than visitation?"

Jenny, feeling a headache coming on, rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Yes."

Holly sighed. "You know, you could be in that position too one day."

Jenny's eyes widened as she realized Holly was absolutely right.

At the hospital, Frannie Brooks waited tentatively outside Steve Summers' room. She took a deep breath, trying to steel herself mentally to see her friend for the first time since the accident. But nothing could have prepared her once she entered and saw him – and all of the equipment that was hooked up to him. After quickly composing herself, she took a seat next to his bed. "Hi Steve."

"Frannie," he sighed. "Good to see you. How's Roger?"

"Everyone's fine in our house. He'll come by another time when he's not working.

"Sounds great." Steve sighed. Seeing Frannie brought back many memories, it was almost hard to look at her.

She seemed to sense the change in him and understood completely. "I'm really sorry about Viv. You know I loved her too."

He tried not to get overwhelmed; being emotional wasn't easy in his condition. "Thanks. I miss her." He realized he needed to change the subject. "Have you seen Sam?"

She smiled. "Yes, he's come over a couple of times to play with Dylan. He's coming over this afternoon, in fact."

Steve couldn't hide his surprise. "Really? So you've met… them."

The brunette could hear the contempt in his voice, but she didn't understand. "I have. They're really good with him. He seems happy. That has to be a load off your mind."

"They want to take him away from me. Still think I have a load off my mind?"

She was taken aback by his anger. "Are you sure? How can they do that?"

"They think because Gibbs is the biological father, that he has a right to him over me. Me! I've been there for every moment of his life. He loves me, not them. If they aren't careful, I may take him away so they'll never see him again."

Frannie narrowed her eyes at him. "Steve, you can't mean that." She took a closer look at him and could see he was serious. Her breath caught in her throat. "I've never seen you like this. You're all good people. I'm sure something can be worked out," she pleaded.

He glared at her. "Would you be willing to share _your_ kids, Frannie? I've been the only father Sam has ever known. Do you think it's fair for them to take him away from me?"

"You need to calm down, Steve. If you talk with them like this, they'll come out swinging. And his being the biological father – and currently being the primary caregiver – gives him a pretty big bat."

He closed his eyes tightly, cringing because he knew she was making a lot of sense. He opened them again and looked at his friend. "I don't know what to do. I miss him so much. I'm powerless to do anything while I'm in here but every day I'm stuck in the hospital is another day they have to ingratiate themselves with him. It's not fair. Can you do me a favor? Can you keep an eye on Sam and them for me?"

She couldn't hide her discomfort. "Of course I'll keep an eye on Sam but not in a spying kind of way. Please don't ask that of me. They're good people."

"If not for me, for Vivienne's sake?"

Frannie leaned her head back and sighed in frustration.

Several hours later, Jenny was finally in the car, leaving for the day. She hit speed dial on her phone and waited.

"Yeah Gibbs."

She smiled. "I'm on my way to Frannie's to pick up Sam; where are you?"

"Just got back to NCIS. Squaring a few things and then will head home."

"You didn't break our new recruit today, did you?"

He scoffed. "Nah. Not till tomorrow."

She laughed. "Great. So we'll have dinner together?"

"Count on it." He hung up the phone and turned to the team. "Stakeout early tomorrow morning so get some sleep tonight and be back here at 0530."

"That early?"

Gibbs glared at Tony.

"Sounds great, boss. Love waking up before the sun. Makes me feel so refreshed."

Ziva and McGee shook their heads at him while Sean laughed. When Gibbs glared at him next, he immediately stopped. "Sorry."

Gibbs shook his head. "Rule #6 – never say you're sorry –"

"It's a sign of weakness," Tony, Ziva and Tim all said in unison. Gibbs smirked.

Jenny left Melvin to watch a sleeping Julia in the car as she knocked on the Brooks' door. She immediately heard Sam whining that he didn't want to go home yet – the usual drill when she had to pick him up. She heard Frannie tell him to go upstairs and gather his stuff before she opened the door.

"Good to see you." She looked around to make sure the boys had headed upstairs before she scooted outside, closing the door behind her.

Jenny's eyes widened. "Something wrong?"

"Didn't want Sam to overhear. I went to the hospital finally to see Steve. I couldn't put it off any longer. I was nervous to see him like that. Not a great friend, I realize."

Jenny put her hand on the other woman's arm to comfort her. "It's understandable. You want to remember how he looked before, I'm sure."

Frannie's guilt was still apparent. "That's part of it, I suppose. Anyway, we had a long talk. If that's what you've been dealing with when you visit, I get why you didn't want to discuss him."

"What do you mean?"

She sighed. "He was so… angry. That wasn't the Steve Summers I've known for the last five years. Please don't think that's who he is."

Jenny hugged her arms around herself for comfort. "Who is he usually?"

There was a pained look on Frannie's face. "A kind, sweet man who loved his wife and son with all he had. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for those two. I had no idea he wasn't Sam's biological father. And Vivienne was my best friend. They were so much in love with each other and with their son," she sighed. "The guy I saw today was closed off and bitter… but mostly scared, Jenny. He thinks you and Gibbs want to take Sam away from him."

Jenny nodded tightly. "Did he tell you that he wanted to take Sam away from us?" When the other woman indicated yes, she continued. "Jethro never knew that Sam was his son until all of this happened. Is that fair? He loves his children fiercely and would have wanted to help raise him."

"I like all of you so much. If I can help mediate in any way, I hope you'll let me. For Sam's sake – I don't want to see him hurt."

"None of us do," insisted Jenny.

Back at the house, Gibbs noticed something was going on with his wife. He waited until after they'd finished putting the kids to bed to talk. He found her in the laundry room, folding clothes. He leaned against the doorframe - watching.

She could feel his eyes on her. "Are you just going to stand there staring, or do you want to grab some baby clothes and help?"

"What's on your mind?" He saw her tense up and immediately began to worry.

She turned around and leaned against the washing machine. "A lot. Not sure where to begin."

"Do you want to talk here or in the bedroom?"

Jenny tossed the clothes she was holding back in the basket. "I had two very interesting conversations today."

"Oh?"

She nodded. "I'll tell you about the last one first. I picked up Sam and apparently Frannie visited Steve for the first time since the accident. She told me a bit about it, because it disturbed her a great deal."

"What happened?"

"She said she barely recognized him – and she didn't mean because of the burns. She said the guy we've been dealing with isn't the real Steve. That he's obviously petrified about losing his son, and it's making him act out. She said he's usually very sweet and loving."

Gibbs mulled over what she was saying. "So she knows there's a custody issue?"

Jenny nodded. "Sounds like he made it pretty clear to her. She offered to act as mediator – that she likes all of us and doesn't want to see Sam get hurt."

He reached for her hand and drew her to him. "What do you think of that?"

Jenny relaxed her other hand on his chest as she gazed up at him. "Anything to make this process less painful for Sam is not only okay in my book – but highly welcomed. I have to say, it did make me feel better to know he isn't normally such a…"

"Tool?"

Jenny laughed despite herself. "Yeah, something like that. You know we need to take Sam to see him. I can go with you or I can go instead of you – whatever you think is best."

He sighed as he wrapped his arms around her. "Do you trust me to see him by myself?"

She shrugged. "Well, since custody has pretty much been decided, I'm guessing you can't screw things up too badly."

"Thanks a lot, Jen," he said, pretending she hurt his feelings.

"You know what I mean," she laughed.

"And the second conversation?" He saw her mood darken. "What is it?"

"I was talking with Holly about the situation, and she brought up a very interesting point."

He gave her a look, encouraging her.

Jenny took a deep breath, a bit nervous to continue. "If anything should happen to you, I'll be in the same boat as Steve – just a stepparent with no real rights to him."

A lot of different emotions swept over Gibbs. "What are you saying, Jen? You want to add something to the custody papers?"

"Not exactly," she said. "I was thinking… maybe I could adopt him? If that's okay with you, of course."

For a moment, the thought of not being around for his kids paralyzed him. He knew he couldn't leave Jenny's rights unprotected.

She saw his hesitation and misinterpreted what it meant – and it fed her worst fears. "If it would make you feel better, we could have the lawyer draw up papers between us that say if we ever split, I wouldn't seek to take him away from you."

"What?" he asked, incredulous. "Did you really just say that to me? How could you think…" He let go of her and started to walk towards the basement. "Go to bed. I'll be up in a while."

"Jethro, don't go. I was just…" she closed her eyes and sighed as she shook her head in frustration. She was about to follow him when she heard Julia crying. Her husband would have to wait.


	42. Chapter 42

A/N: This has been a crazy week, so I'm shocked that this chapter is getting put up anywhere near my self-imposed Sunday deadline. Thank you for continuing to read this story and to all who are kind enough to leave a review. It means a great deal. PS: A special shout-out to Alix in this chapter – we'll see if you can spot it.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny knew she had to make things right with her husband, but her daughter needed her first. It took Julia a little while to calm down. They rocked gently back-and-forth in the chair, listening to Missy's CD. When she was sure the baby was asleep, she lowered her into the crib. The proud mommy watched her lay there for a few minutes before she grabbed the CD and headed for room number two.

Looking in on Sam, Jenny relaxed after seeing that the young boy was as she left him – on his side, hugging Simon. She smiled at him lovingly before closing the door a bit and heading to her bedroom to change into a nightgown. After, she walked toward the basement. Along the way, she grabbed the baby monitor.

Gibbs heard her on the stairs, but he stubbornly continued working on the toy chest he was making for Sam. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that she was wearing the white cottony, spaghetti-strap nightgown that made her so soft to snuggle with. _Damn, she knows I can't resist her in that._ His thoughts drifted to the rest of her sleepwear, and he realized there really wasn't anything she could put on that _wouldn't_ make him want her. He heard her place something down and figured it was the baby monitor but he was surprised when Missy's CD began to play. She never said a word but simply took a seat on the stairs and watched him work. It took him back to their time in New Mexico, where they spent many nights exactly like this. He figured that was her point.

Jenny sighed as she realized her husband was in no rush to talk with her. She didn't really mind; she enjoyed watching him and could wait him out. She knew he would come to her when he was ready so she watched as he poured a great deal of love into his work. After a while, he put down his tools and went to sit next to her on the step.

They sat silently for a few minutes before he finally said something. "How… how could you think I'd feel that way?" he asked without looking at her.

The pain in his voice made her heart hurt. "Can I explain where my head was at?" He finally looked at her and nodded. "I was nervous to broach the subject with you."

"About adopting him? Why?"

Jenny took a deep breath. "He's been kept from you his whole life. You finally found out that you get sole custody. You've been divorced three times, Jethro," she said pointedly. "I wouldn't blame you if the thought had crossed your mind that… maybe… you wouldn't want to open yourself up to the possibility of another custody battle. I was hoping I was just being over-sensitive but when I asked and you hesitated…"

"That's where your head went?" he asked, flabbergasted.

Jenny nodded sadly. "Your reaction fed my worst fear. So I immediately tried to step it back so you wouldn't worry. I wanted to make it easy for you. I didn't want you to feel guilty about your reservations." The look on his face let her know he didn't approve of her reasoning. "I don't know!" she exclaimed, frustrated. "I just…"

He saw her struggling to make sense of it. Understanding that her heart was in the right place, he let her off the hook and put his arm around her. "I get it. I'm just surprised because you're the one who always says you're not leaving."

She felt horrible. "You're right. But that doesn't mean you won't get sick of me one day."

"I thought we both agreed _this_ marriage is forever." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I know, and I do. But with your track record, you wouldn't be realistic - which we both know you are - if there wasn't some part of you that considered the possibility."

He sighed. "Jen, I only hesitated because you scared the crap out of me," he whispered. "I started imagining me being… gone… and you having to do this on your own, all the things I'd miss. _That_ was why I hesitated – not because I didn't want you to adopt Sam."

She looked at him, feeling more vulnerable than she had in a long time. "So how _do_ you feel about it?"

He moved forward a bit on the step and motioned for her to sit on his lap. She climbed over, hiking up her nightgown so she could straddle him and carefully wrap her legs around. He looked deeply into her eyes as his hands caressed her thighs back and forth in a comforting way. "I love the idea." He could feel her physically relax. "Our son would be very lucky to have you officially as his mom."

"_Our_ son…" she mused thoughtfully, a small smile coming to her lips. "I hope Sam feels that way some day. It might be too soon to say anything to him about this. But Jethro, we need to keep Vivienne's memory alive. I would hate for him to think I'm trying to… to replace her."

Gibbs moved his hands around her back, pulling her closer to him so he could hold her in his arms. "We can do that. We'll figure it out, I promise." He looked at her and smiled. "You really are an amazing mother."

She buried her face in his neck, drinking in the smell of sawdust, bourbon…. _him_. "Your confidence in me… it means the world, I hope you know that. Most days I feel like I haven't a clue." She was surprised when she felt him chuckle.

"Welcome to parenthood," he said knowingly. He loved holding his wife, the way her body melded against his as if she was made just for him.

"I really wish you had stuck around so we could work this out rather than come down here and sulk," she said as she massaged her fingers into the hair at the base of his neck. "It's a lot easier to work out misunderstandings if we deal with them right away."

Her breath on his neck and the way she was relaxing him was making it hard to think or at least speak coherently. "I was in shock."

"Sorry about that," she managed. His hands were making their way all over her body, compelling her to want him even more. "We mean well," she laughed. She kissed his neck before carefully getting off his lap.

Gibbs looked up at her, surprised. He was enjoying their cuddling session.

Jenny saw the disappointment in his eyes and smiled. She reached out for his hand. When he took it, she led him back down the couple of stairs and walked towards the back where he had moved the couch. She turned to face him, biting her lower lip before she admitted, "I miss the boat and the different positions making love against it gave us."

His eyes widened. "I will start a new one ASAP."

She laughed at the giant smile on his face as she settled down on the couch. "I think being back here will give us a decent amount of warning if we're interrupted."

Gibbs raked his eyes over her as she worked quickly to remove his jeans. "We better not be," he growled. Once free, he lowered himself on top of her. "We should have thought of this long ago."

"I want less talking and more of this," she purred, removing his shirt. She released a quiet squeal of delight when his lips found her neck.

The next day, Gibbs was up early and out of the house before Jenny. Armed with coffee, he met the team at the stakeout. Hamilton and McGee were with him in one car near the front of the building while Ziva and Tony were parked around back. All had coms and earwigs as they kept watch for their suspect.

A little while later, Gibbs felt his phone vibrating. Without taking his eyes off of the complex, he answered. "Yeah Gibbs."

"Gibbs!"

He grimaced. "Take it down a notch, Abs. What's up?"

"Oops. Is this better? Anyway, I wanted to know when you're bringing Sam to the office next. I need him for something."

"You do realize I'm on a stakeout?"

"And the director's out of the office but because of what I'm planning, I can't really ask her anyway."

He narrowed his eyes. "What's this about?"

Abby was exasperated. "Don't you know? Gibbs! What is this Sunday?" she asked, as if the answer was completely obvious.

He gave it some thought. _Nope, not Jenny's birthday, not their anniversary, not his birthday, not Abby's_… "I don't know."

Her eyes widened as her mouth dropped open. "Gibbs! I'm saving you from almost blowing it big time. I mean, this could have been a huge disaster – _huge_! If you had forgotten this, you'd have been so up the creek, in the doghouse, up the river without—"

"Out with it, Abs."

She sighed, frustrated with him. "Gibbs, it's Mother's Day!"

He swallowed heavily, realizing he just dodged a bullet. "Already?"

"Uh huh. I'm taking care of Sam and Miss Julia's present to their mommy. You will need to cover your own – and it better be _good_," she said in a haughty tone. "What is wrong with you? You're not supposed to be like most men. You're the Silver Fox! El Hefe. You know all. How could you—"

"Thanks. Gotta go," he said, hanging up on her. He looked at the other two in the car - not appreciating their questioning stares. "What the hell are your eyes doing on me?" He pointed at the building.

Overhearing it all, Tony and Ziva smirked at each other. The partners learned long ago to keep their coms on mute when they were on a stakeout with Gibbs. Being able to complain to each other usually made the time go faster. Nothing was working today though - listening to the probie annoy the boss with his questions lost its charm a good hour ago. Both perked up when they heard Hamilton laughing.

Gibbs, needing another coffee badly and therefore having little patience, growled. "Something funny?"

"Yeah," he laughed, looking at his smart phone. He then glanced over at Gibbs and saw him glaring at him. "Oh, you want to know what was so funny?" He cringed at the look he was given. "Never mind."

Tony smiled, feeling the need to stir up some trouble. "Probie, sure. What's the joke? I could use some entertainment."

Ziva rolled her eyes and shook her head, amused.

"My pal Pete works at the FBI. Apparently Director Shepard's over there, busting balls," he laughed. "Some guy named Fornell, who apparently terrorizes everyone around him, is getting his ass handed to him. The staff is loving it."

In the backseat, McGee cringed. He had no way of alerting the kid to shut up so he chose to ignore him and concentrate on the complex.

Tony turned off his com again and laughed. "I'd have paid year-end bonus money to see that."

Ziva shot him a look. "You get a bonus at the end of the year?"

He furrowed his brow. "No, it's a… never mind."

All waited for Gibbs to react. Not looking forward to his next conversation with either his wife or his best friend, he found himself almost grateful to be away on the stakeout. He pointed out the window. "If you don't want your ass handed to you…"

"Yes sir," he said, focusing on his assignment as he put his phone back in his pocket. "I have a hard time picturing her like that. I mean - the director was very nice to me. So which is it? Is she easygoing or a ball buster?"

Tony snickered. "Wait for it… wait for it."

Gibbs felt a headache coming on. Normally, he'd either ignore the question, yell at the person – or both. But in the back of his head, he heard Jenny telling him to be nice and not to scare off her new recruit. "Do your job, and you'll be fine."

Tony and Ziva looked at each other, their mouths hanging open in shock. The very special agent recovered first. "Was he just… nice?"

"For him, yes. I do not get it."

Tony thought for a second and then started to chuckle. "Oh I bet I know." He saw Ziva's confusion. "I bet he got laid last night."

Ziva scoffed. "You really think _that_ would do it?" He gave her look as if to say, "Duh." She laughed.

He narrowed his eyes. "If only there was a way to confirm."

"I could always text Jenny and ask."

Tony's eyes widened. "Really?"

A tense Jenny was in her car, headed back to NCIS, when she got a text message. _Gibbs was nice to the new agent. Tony said he thinks it was because he had sex last night. Looking for confirmation. _The director snorted as she shook her head, incredulous.

Back at the stakeout, Ziva smiled. "She texted back. Let's see." _Good luck getting confirmation. Thanks for the laugh. PS: I'm so kicking your ass tomorrow at our workout. _Ziva glared at her partner. "Thanks a lot!" she sighed as Tony laughed.


	43. Chapter 43

A/N: Thank you for your continued support. I appreciate the feedback/reviews and know that if you're not getting a response from me, then you aren't signed in or your PM capability is turned off. I hope you're still enjoying this story. If you're not, please let me know why – with your help I may be able to figure out a way to make it better.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

When Gibbs returned from the stakeout, he instructed McGee to take the dirtbag they caught down to interrogation. As he made his way to his desk, Gibbs saw Jenny and Special Agent Jerry Morrison having a tense conversation. Not wanting to interrupt, he wandered over to the break room and found some leftover pizza. After grabbing a slice, he made his way over to the alcove that was in the director's line of vision and waited. He saw that he caught her eye and watched her carefully as she made her way over, passing Probationary Agent Sean Hamilton along the way.

"Special… Agent… Gibbs," she teased with a smirk. "I heard _you_ were nice today."

He tried not to smile as she sauntered closer to him, eyeing his pizza. "Funny, I heard _you_ weren't, Director."

She frowned and rolled her eyes. "What happened? Your little boyfriend come crying to you cause I was mean to him?" she asked, falling into baby talk by the end. "He got territorial with Agent Morrison. _You_ know how to fight back. Agent Morrison needed some intervention. Can I help it if that's a part of my job I happen to enjoy?" she smirked.

He narrowed his eyes. "Someone's feeling cocky this afternoon."

Jenny laughed. "I am, aren't I?"

"Mmm hmm," he agreed as he saw her watch longingly while he took another bite.

"Guess there's nothing like a good bitch-slapping over at the FBI to get the old juices flowing." She looked deflated as more of his pizza disappeared. "You're really going to eat that whole piece and not offer me a single bite?"

Still nearby, Sean's ears perked up. He had no idea that his boss for the week was… so familiar… with the director. He was intrigued.

Gibbs narrowed his eyes at her. "Hungry. Mine," he said pointedly as he finished the last of it and then licked his fingers - amused by her irritation.

She frowned. "Back to being monosyllabic, I see."

"Huh?"

Jenny shook her head as she sighed. "You really do need to get a dictionary." She started to walk away when he stopped her by grabbing her arm. Neither noticed Sean's continued interest.

"If you're nice to me, and I do mean _nice_, I just might go to the break room and bring you up your very own slice."

She whipped her head around, eyeing his hand wrapped around her bicep. "Are you flirting with me, Agent Gibbs? You are fastly approaching red light behavior." She locked eyes with him and smiled wickedly. "By the way, my husband is the jealous type. You should probably be careful."

Gibbs dropped the hold he had on her arm before he looked her up and down, leering at her. "Is he?"

Jenny stepped a bit closer. "Oh yes. You don't want to cross him. Just so you know – a simple glare from him scares mere mortals."

The corners of his mouth turned a tiny bit upward. "Sounds like a scary guy. Are you afraid of him?" he teased.

Sean's eyes widened as he quickly headed back to his desk.

Jenny laughed as she shook her head. "No. While he scares everyone else – I'm the one who scares _him_."

Gibbs threw his head back laughing as she turned on her heel and headed upstairs, knowing he'd be bringing her pizza momentarily.

Back in the bullpen area, Tony glanced up from his paperwork and noticed that Hamilton seemed a little disturbed. "What's going on, Probie? Did the girls in accounting pants you or something?"

Ziva and McGee tried not to laugh.

Sean gave the very special agent a weird look as he shook his head. "They do that?"

Tony snorted before returning his attention to the report in front of him. "Only if you're lucky, kid."

Ziva stepped forward. "Is something wrong?"

He saw that all three were looking at him, and he felt a bit self-conscious. But he was fond of the director, and he had questions that maybe they could answer. "How well do you guys know Director Shepard?"

All three became guarded. Tony was the first to speak. "Enough. What's wrong?"

He took a deep breath. "I saw her talking with Gibbs. She gave the impression to him that her husband's really controlling and jealous. I feel kind of bad for her if that's true. Is it?"

Ziva choked on the water she was drinking while Tony and Tim smirked at each other. "Did she really say that to him?" she asked.

The young man nodded. "And I got this weird sexual vibe off of them." That was as far as he was willing to go, even if he thought they were having an affair. It wouldn't be right to voice _that_ suspicion.

Ziva quickly turned her back to him to hide her amusement while Tony disappeared under his desk, silently laughing.

Tim sighed. "You should probably mind your own business," he managed before bee-lining it for his desk where he could disappear behind his computer.

Gibbs came from around corner causing Ziva and Sean to scatter. "Did I miss something?"

Seeing that Sean was a safe distance away, Tony looked at his boss and smirked. "The new probie is feeling rather protective of the director. Heard that her husband is the jealous type and rather controlling."

Gibbs snorted. "Bastard too. How much?"

Tony feigned innocence and looked at him questioningly. "How much?"

The older man shot him a knowing look. "If there wasn't a pool before, I'm sure there is now. How much?"

Tony smiled ear-to-ear. "Twenty bucks."

Gibbs tossed a $20 onto his desk. "He'll figure out we're married by Thursday night, between five and six."

Tony opened his computer file and created an entry for his boss. Afterwards, he looked up at him. "Now, no throwing it. Fair and square, right?" The giant grin Gibbs gave him sent the hairs on the back of Tony's neck to stand on end. "We're sunk. The only upside will be seeing Ducky finally lose."

Tony watched as Gibbs headed towards the elevator and Ziva returned. "Any idea what's happening Thursday night?"

She walked around her desk and sat down. "Do you mean the State Dinner at the White House? Hamilton will be joining Gibbs and myself on the director's detail. Since there will be Secret Service, he figured it was okay to have just me. Hamilton is to only observe." She frowned when she saw Tony smack his own forehead. "Why did you do that?"

"You know, Ziva, a sucker is born every minute. Apparently, two minutes ago… was my turn."

She looked at him strangely.

Upstairs in her office, Jenny was laughing after Gibbs filled her in on what happened with Tony. "Poor Hamilton. Probies are always fresh meat, aren't they?" He nodded. "I guess that picture of Julia you have hanging up has gotten a little old. We should probably update it."

That gave Gibbs an idea.

She realized her husband's attention was focused only on their little girl in his arms, which made her smile. "How's the munchkin doing?"

He glanced down at her snuggled against his shoulder. "I wish she was awake, but I know that eating, pooping and playing can be exhausting, so it's okay." He kissed her head and closed his eyes as he rocked her.

"You know, she's eating more of her cereal now. Though sometimes I think I'd be better off feeding her while naked. My clothes would appreciate it."

His eyes lit up. "Your clothes aren't the only ones. I feel it should be mandatory."

Jenny smirked. "I bet you do, but I think it might shock Sam a bit."

Gibbs sighed. "I guess you're right. Oh! Speaking of Sam, how about if I pick him up after school tomorrow, and he hangs out here until one of us leaves? Abby was saying she misses him."

The director walked over to her desk to bring up her calendar on the computer. "I don't have a lot of spare time tomorrow afternoon if he gets bored. What about you?"

"I've got a suspect cooling his heels in interrogation right now. After that, it should be pretty slow unless we catch another case."

She walked back over to him and Julia and slipped her arms around his waist. "Just make sure you have a plan B, C and maybe even D." Leaning over, she placed a kiss on her daughter's cheek.

"Will do." He handed the baby to her mother and was about to walk out the door.

"Jethro, wait. What are we going to do about Sam visiting Steve? Frannie told me he's been asking." She saw the frustrated look on his face. "She offered to take him if we want so that we don't have to deal with him."

Gibbs scrubbed his hand down his face as he leaned against her door. "Maybe in the future, but right now I think I need to make sure he understands a few things first."

Jenny's eyes widened. "You mean you're going over there? You? Are you sure that's wise?" He glared at her. "Fine, so when will that be?"

He looked at his watch. "Now's as good a time as any. If we reach an understanding, then Sam can go visit him."

"And if you can't?"

"Then the hell I'm putting my son in that kind of situation."

She cringed. "Slow down there. Keep in mind that Sam asks for him. It's more for your son than for Steve. And remember – the man _has_ lost everything. Do you want to wait until I can come with you?"

He smirked. "You don't trust me, do you?"

"More like I _know_ you."

Gibbs chuckled. "That you do."

"Jethro, we won. You can afford to be generous and reasonable. What is it that he has to do to make you comfortable?"

His mood darkened. "He has to stop filling his head with crap about Sam going to live with him once he's out. If he can accept that I'm his father and he'll be living with us, then he can still be in his life."

Jenny sighed and nodded. "Do you think he'll be able to do that?"

"For the chance to spend time with Sam? I know I would."

"Okay. Stay calm. And let me know how it turns out and if he agrees, I can swing by there tonight with Sam after I drop Julia off with Noemi."

He nodded tightly. "But first sign of Steve indulging in his BS, you'll get him out of there, right?

"Of course."

Gibbs walked over to Jenny, squeezed her hand and kissed her briefly on the lips. "Thanks. I'll call you after."

She smiled faintly as she watched him go, the wheels in her head spinning about the possible outcomes of the visit.

A little while later, Gibbs arrived at the hospital. He found his way to Steve's room. A nurse stopped him. "Sir, it's not a good time. He's been very agitated today. We had to sedate him."

Gibbs frowned. "So he's asleep?"

The nurse checked his chart. "It wasn't that heavy. He may be awake."

The special agent flashed his badge. "Can I try?" She scanned it carefully and nodded. Gibbs flashed her a tiny smile before he headed into Steve's room. Entering silently, he sat down on the chair next to the hospital bed.

Steve opened his eyes briefly, his surprise evident. "Did you bring Sam?"

"Noooo," he drawled. "You and I need to have a talk first. Jenny will bring him later."

Steve swallowed heavily. "Saw my lawyer this morning."

Gibbs sighed, now understanding why the other man had been agitated. He placed his hands on his knees and leaned forward. "So you know I have full custody."

"Yeah," he said, sounding defeated. "I don't understand how four years means nothing."

The special agent eyed the other man with surprise… he didn't expect him to show any vulnerability… "It doesn't mean 'nothing' to Sam."

"I know. It meant everything – to us both. How can the court treat it, treat our bond, like it doesn't matter?"

Gibbs didn't know what to say. He didn't want to feel for this man. He wanted to hate him – it would make everything so much easier. But he was reminded of the guy he first saw, the one who was crying over losing his wife – not the ball of anger he'd become ever since.

Not hearing a response, Steve turned to look at his son's other father. "Do you plan to do the same?" He saw his confusion so he clarified. "Treat me like I was never Sam's father for the last four years."

"Not if you work with us."

Steve narrowed his eyes at him. "How so?"

"You really pissed me off when you threatened to never let me see him again."

He sighed. "I don't know why I did that. I was scared. Gotta tell you though. Being stuck in here with nothing to do but think… it can really mess with your head."

Gibbs sat back in the chair and nodded. "What'd you come up with?"

Tears began to form in the corners of his eyes. "I've lost everything. How do I go on?"

The emotions Steve was once again bringing up in Gibbs made him very uncomfortable. He knew what it was like to be him – he _was _him way back then. But there was one major difference, and it was ticking Gibbs off. "You haven't lost everything!"

The special agent's anger shocked Steve. His eyes widened as he focused on the man now standing beside his bed.

"If you work with us, you can still watch Sam grow up! You have no idea how lucky you are. I'd have given anything to have had that chance with my daughter – even if I had to watch someone else raise her."

Steve was stunned by the other man's passionate response. And it made him realize something he hated to admit – Gibbs was absolutely right.


	44. Chapter 44

A/N: I realize I'm putting this up a little early, but it was finished so why not—just don't get used to it. Another thanks/shout-out to Madame Alexandra's trilogy for this chapter. Again, if you haven't read them, what are you waiting for?! Thanks, as always, to everyone still reading and reviewing – you guys are great!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny leaned her head back against the leather seat in her Town car as Melvin maneuvered through the crowded streets. Her mind was still reeling from the phone call she'd had with Jethro several hours earlier – after his visit with Steve Summers. She glanced at Sam sitting next to her in his car seat, obviously happy to be seeing his dad – completely unaware of her inner turmoil. It wasn't so much what her husband had said but how he said it. To the untrained ear, Leroy Jethro Gibbs felt fine about his visit with the "other daddy" in his son's life.

Jenny knew better.

But he wouldn't open up and instead insisted he had to get back to question the dirtbag he'd caught earlier. She let it go, knowing better than to push. Instead, she let the knot in her stomach fester. He'd given the go-ahead for her to take Sam to the hospital. So after finally putting her work day to rest, she'd picked him up, dropped off Julia and was now faced with the task at hand.

Jenny decided against speaking with Steve alone first, knowing Sam was anxious to see him and would probably make Melvin's life miserable if he were to be delayed. She gave him the usual warning about not touching the still-recovering burn patient and then opened the door.

"Gaddy!" he yelled as he ran into the room.

Steve's eyes lit up upon hearing his little boy's voice. "Sammy! I've missed you so much. How's it going?" He looked at the director and nodded his respect.

Jenny smiled and nodded back before she took a seat next to him and lifted Sam onto her lap. She sat back and relaxed as he chatted endlessly about everything going on in his world.

After a while, it became obvious that Steve was getting tired. He tried to cover, wanting so much to spend more time with his son but even Sam could tell. He finally gave in but had a last request. "Jenny, can I talk with you alone for a minute?"

She nodded and walked Sam to the door, motioning to Melvin to keep an eye on him. She closed the door and turned back around. "What can I do for you?"

"Have you talked to your husband?"

She tensed up. "He's my husband. I talk with him a great deal."

"There's no need to get defensive." When he saw her relax, he continued. "I don't know if he went into detail about our talk this afternoon, but things got pretty heated." He saw her eyes widen. "Not in the way you're thinking. I was feeling extra sorry for myself, and he brought up his daughter who died to snap me back to reality." He could see she was surprised. "It seemed to take a lot out of him. Just thought you should be aware."

Jenny sighed. She was beginning to understand how Frannie and Roger could be friends with Steve. "Thank you."

"Thank _you_ for bringing Sam by. He's the best medicine there is."

She smiled knowingly. "I couldn't agree more."

Once at home, Jenny set out to get Sam's bath ready while she tended to Julia. Jethro still wasn't home but that wasn't abnormal. She put the baby in front of her floor gym in their bedroom while she changed out of her business attire and into her usual shorts and tank top for bed. She then scooped up her daughter and walked to the bathroom where Sam was picking out the toys he wanted in the tub with him. Tonight, the winners were Buzz Lightyear and Woody, so they were tossed in the almost-filled tub. Of course, getting Sam _in_ the tub was another story. After serious negotiations, he finally did as he was told.

Once he was fully entertained, she relaxed a bit. Julia finally calmed down so she placed her in her nearby baby seat as she turned her focus to Sam. When he started splashing and getting excited, she thought she heard the door open but after a while and still no sign of her husband, she figured it was just the wind - or he'd gone down to the basement to be alone. Either way, she was where she needed to be.

Tired of her hair getting in her eyes, Jenny rummaged through a drawer, found a scrunchie and made a ponytail. She was helping him finish washing up when he smiled up at her, a silly look on his wet face.

"Your hair's pretty that way."

"You think so? Your dad likes it down." When he made a face and shook it, she laughed. "Okay, monkey, you almost done in there?"

"Oooooookay," he said, obviously not wanting to get out yet. She smiled and tousled his hair. He quickly moved to smooth it out. "Nooooo."

His preening made her laugh. "We may need to get your hair cut. What do you think of that?" He shrugged before he raised his arms so she could help him get out of the tub. She wrapped the towel around him tightly and rubbed him all over to help him dry faster. "How's that?" Before he could answer, Julia burst into tears.

"Yulie," he sighed dramatically.

Jenny was only mildly happier with 'Yulie' over 'baby,' but she accepted it. "Can you pick out what pajamas you want to wear while I see what's bugging your sister?" He nodded and stomped off for his room, annoyed.

Jenny swooped Julia up into her arms and quickly headed for the nursery. She changed the baby's diaper before she set her down in the crib, turning on the overhead mobile with the hope that it would amuse her until she got Sam settled. She headed for him next, to see what he picked out – only when she got there, all she found was his towel on the floor. "Hmm."

Down in the basement, Gibbs was lost in thought. He was sitting on the couch, looking through the box he had with his mementoes. After his earlier conversation with Steve, he had gotten it down from where he usually kept it - the top shelf over his workbench. He was looking at pictures of Kelly when he spied Sam, clad only in fuzzy slippers, nearly at his side. Jenny was right – he was developing some rather stealth abilities.

"You look sag, Gibbs." He walked a few steps closer and glanced at the picture of the young girl in his hand. "Is she making you sag?"

Gibbs looked into his earnest eyes and tried to smile. "I just miss her."

"Who is she?"

Suddenly Jenny's voice could be heard from upstairs, calling out for Sam.

"He's down here with me!"

"Is he naked?"

Gibbs couldn't help but laugh. "Yep!"

Her footsteps were quickly heard coming down the steps. She set the baby monitor down on the workbench and looked around until she spotted them on the couch. As she got closer, she saw what was in her husband's hand and her breath caught in her throat. She covered quickly, swallowing heavily before she held up his pajamas. "Want to slip them on if I lift him?"

He put down the picture before taking the Spider-Man themed pants and top from her. After he was dressed, Sam plopped on the couch next to the box. "Who is she?" he asked again, remembering where they were before Jenny interrupted.

Jenny felt like a deer in the headlights. "Why don't I leave you two –"

"Stay."

The air was thick with tension as the two adults locked eyes. She looked at him as if to ask if he was sure. He nodded, his mood obviously darkened by his tragic memories. He needed her. Gibbs felt opening up to Sam about his life, no matter how necessary, was something that wouldn't be easy on either of them. But he knew his wife's presence would help them both. She took a seat on the other side of Sam, resting her hands on his little shoulders for a moment before she put them in her lap.

Gibbs picked the picture back up and held it reverently in his hand. "Promise me you'll be careful holding this."

"Jethro," she warned, worried that he might be asking the impossible and afraid of the repercussions if an accident happened.

"He can do this," he insisted. "Sam, this was your older sister, Kelly."

Sam took the picture in his hands, trying to understand. "I have another sister?"

He handed the rest of the pictures of her to Jenny so she could see them. She admired each one more than the next. Kelly on horseback, in her dance outfit, playing outside with her friend Maddie… she smiled sadly as she handed them back. "Beautiful."

He nodded at his wife before he turned his attention back to his son. "You did have one. She was in an accident like your mommy. She is in heaven too."

"Oh," he said sadly, looking at the picture again. "Like Mommy," he sighed. "So I won't get to play with her?" Jenny rubbed his shoulders, trying to comfort him.

"Fraid not," he sighed.

He handed the picture back and patted his father's leg. "I'm sorry."

Gibbs and Jenny shared a look, both overwhelmed by Sam's actions.

She put her hands on his head and leaned over to kiss the top of it. "You are such a sweet boy."

Gibbs was obviously choked up. All he could manage to add was, "Yeah," as he touched his son's cheek. The next thing he knew, Sam was leaning over the box.

"What's all this stuff?" he asked, his eyes wide in wonder at the different objects.

"This is where I keep things that are meaningful to me. Would you like a better look?"

Jenny leaned over so she could see the excitement on his face. "Wow. Your dad hasn't even offered _me_ the chance to see what's in there so you must be pretty special."

"I am," he said matter-of-factly. "I'm his son."

Neither adult could stop smiling, realizing he did indeed understand their relationship. Jenny was the first to find her voice. "You're so right. That must be why."

Encouraged by their progress, he moved the box a bit closer. "See anything you like?" Gibbs toyed with things, trying to show Sam what was inside. He touched a few Father's Day cards, some more pictures and a drawing Kelly had made for him when he was on his last tour. It was a bittersweet memory. He forced himself to return to the present - only to find Jenny eyeing the plaque he made for their unborn child, which was off to the side. He'd almost forgotten he'd put it in there when Holly and the team were visiting. Not wanting to have to explain yet another lost sibling, he quickly handed it to Jenny, grateful that other things had Sam distracted. "Do you have any questions?"

He pulled out another photo and looked at it. He smiled broadly. "Gummy! You look gifferent!" he giggled.

Jenny was surprised, half expecting it to be of Shannon. She took the offered picture, and her eyes widened. "Different? I was _younger_, Sam," she laughed. "More pictures from Serbia?" Her husband shrugged good-naturedly. "I remember this. Wow, you can barely tell how much pain I was…" She stopped quickly, realizing who was listening. Luckily it seemed to go over his head.

Sam pointed at a little box. "What's this?"

Jenny recognized the item she had once found by accident. She watched her husband, seeing the wheels spinning in his brain, wondering how much was appropriate to reveal to a child.

"It's something I got when I was hurt in battle. It's called a Purple Heart."

"Battle? You in the Army?" he asked with awe.

Gibbs chuckled before he said sternly, "Marine."

"Wow," he said, staring at the medal. Sam then pulled out something else, looking at Gibbs questioningly. He held the object between his fingers.

"Those were my dog tags that I had to wear." He saw the joy on his son's face as he examined each one. "Would you like to have them?"

The boy's eyes widened. "For me?" Gibbs nodded. He wrapped the chain twice over before placing it around his neck. The youngster wore them proudly. "You fought bag guys wearing these?"

Jenny saw how excited Sam was and how grateful Jethro was to share this with his son as he nodded. She watched as he looked at a few different things in the box.

A big smile came to Gibbs when he took out a switchblade. He ran his fingers lovingly over the silver trim around its edges. "I had almost forgotten about this."

Sam was fascinated. He noticed a letter engraved on it. "Is that a J?"

Gibbs locked eyes with his wife, whose hand was over her mouth in surprise. She worried that after having his heart broken by her, he might have trashed her Christmas gift to him from long ago. "It sure is. Want to see more engraving on it?" Sam nodded. Sure enough, when it was opened, there were embedded words embossed on the actual blade of the knife.

Sam looked questioningly at his father. "What's it say?"

Gibbs nodded at Jenny, indicating he wanted her to answer – which she did.

"Rule #9."

Sam furrowed his brow. "Rule #9? What's that mean?"

Jenny's lips curled up, wondering if her husband would really tell their 4-year-old that he should never go anywhere without a knife.

Gibbs could see his wife was amused by his quandary. "It's actually a rule for grown ups. But we can make one for kids, if you want. What do you think Rule #9 should be?"

Sam thought long and hard until he remembered what was happening when he first came downstairs. "No one can be sag. If you are, you get a hug." He held his arms out.

Surprised, Gibbs basked in the warmth of his son's unexpected embrace. "I think this is my new favorite rule."


	45. Chapter 45

A/N: Before you start wondering which episode the rule mentioned in this chapter came from – don't. I made it up in honor of the "Gibbs Rules" marathon happening today on USA cable channel. Hope that's not breaking a rule. Thanks, as always, for the support!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was around 0440 on Wednesday morning. Jenny began to stir, a bit anxious that she slept so long. She couldn't believe that Julia hadn't woken up hungry during the night. She looked down to find her husband still wrapped around her. After his emotionally exhausting day, he'd crashed soon after they turned in. She wanted to comfort him and held him lovingly all night.

He must have sensed she was awake because he began to stir, pleased to find himself using her breasts as his pillow. He nuzzled his face against them.

"Careful, I didn't get to nurse during the night," she whispered as her fingers threaded into his hair.

"Want me off?"

"It's all right. Just don't rub your face too hard against them." He gently kissed one before he placed his hand under her shirt to caress her stomach. "That feels nice."

"No visit from Sam?"

She let her hand slip from his hair down his neck to his back. She loved the feel of his skin beneath her fingers. "Nah. I think you gave him a great night, made him feel secure and really a part of this family. You done good," she purred as she deposited a kiss into his hair.

"He did seem pretty happy."

She smiled. "Happy? He wouldn't take off your dog tags. I'd say ecstatic is more like it. I think we turned a corner - at least I hope so."

He lifted his head to look at her, barely able to find her eyes in the darkness. "You really think so?"

"You made him feel special, opening up like that. The more he gets to know us, the more a part of things he'll feel. I was really proud of you. I know that couldn't have been easy. Steve told me you talked about Kelly. He warned me that it took a lot out of you."

Gibbs returned to his side of the bed and propped his head up on a few pillows. "He did? Interesting."

She moved towards him and rested her head on his chest. "Seems like a corner was turned by him too."

"He didn't think he had anything left to live for."

Jenny was able to put the pieces together about how that conversation must have proceeded and why Kelly was brought up. It wasn't often that her husband surprised her, but she was touched by his act of kindness. "You really relate to him, don't you?"

He thought about her words. "Sometimes. He's in that dark place right now. I was there too… for a long time."

"So was I," she said, as her thoughts drifted to the past. A squeeze from him jolted her back to the present. "But you changed all of that."

He threaded his fingers into her hair and kissed the top of her head. "I work hard to never take what we have for granted. Talking to Summers was like a giant reminder - not that I needed one."

She leaned back on her elbow, trying to look at him. "You say that, Jethro, but your first instinct was still to wall yourself off. You didn't say anything on the phone, you came home and headed for the basement without a word." She felt him tense up. "Would you have said anything if Sam hadn't found you?"

He stayed silent for what felt to Jenny like a long time. "I think I would have. I wanted to feel close to Kel again - but then I always come back to you. You…" he scoffed. "Sounds silly."

"What?"

Gibbs sighed as he reached for her hand. "You heal me."

"That's not silly," she said as she felt herself getting choked up. "That's one of the nicest things you've ever said to me."

"Aw, Jen… that can't be news to you. You must—" but before he could finish the sentence, she kissed him. Within seconds, she was straddling him and removing her top and shorts. He quickly threw his pillows out of the way, lowered himself to the mattress and got his boxers off. Watching her above him was one of his favorite positions, and he settled back to admire the view.

Later that day, Gibbs went to pick up Sam from school per Abby's request. When he walked in, several little boys came running towards him asking a million questions about what it was like to be a Marine. He looked through the sea of short people, trying to find his own, when the teacher caught his eye.

"Your dog tags were a huge hit with the kids in class today. Any chance you'd consider coming to speak with them one day?"

Gibbs looked a bit shell-shocked as Sam pushed his way through and grabbed his father's hand. "Will you?"

"You want me to?" he asked, half hoping his son would say no.

Sam nodded enthusiastically. "Please!?"

"I'll see if my boss will let me have the time off."

The boy looked at him, narrowing his eyes. "Isn't Gummy your boss?" Gibbs smiled as he nodded. Sam scoffed. "For me she'll say yes."

The older man released a hearty laugh as he scooped his son up into his arms. "Come on, let's go."

Once at NCIS, Gibbs took Sam to the lab. The excited Goth turned down the music and hugged both of her visitors. Before leaving to pick up Sam, Gibbs had a talk with Abby about being careful talking about Mother's Day. He had a feeling it was going to be a day filled with mixed emotions for his family. He was about to leave the two to their fun when Abby called him back.

"Gibbs, I wanted to tell you that I found a way around that problem we discussed earlier." She saw she had his interest. "Sam, I need your help today. We're making a present because Sunday is a very special day. Do you want to know what it is?"

Gibbs watched her warily, unsure what she was putting into motion, before he turned his attention to Sam.

"It's a holiday called Gummy's Day," she said proudly. "You want to help make her something special for her special day?"

Sam started clapping. "Yay!"

Gibbs nodded his approval and kissed her cheek. "You're the best, Abs."

She beamed as he walked out of the lab. "Don't forget to keep the director away!" she yelled out to him as he got on the elevator. "OK, Sam – are you ready to play with paint?"

Back in the bullpen, Gibbs immediately got on the phone to Cynthia. "Where is she?"

The harried assistant sighed. "I'm about to join her in MTAC. She's stressed about this next mission. Can whatever it is wait?"

"Relax, I don't need her. Just want to keep her out of Abby's lab. Warn me if she leaves in the next couple hours."

"Oh," she sighed as she gathered up the files she needed to bring with her. "That's different. I'm on board with the secret mission."

"Good." He hung up the phone and barked out orders to the team. They needed to solve this case and fast.

About 45 minutes later, he spotted his wife heading towards him as his phone rang. "Thanks – got eyes on her now," he said without even looking at the caller ID. He carefully slid his phone back in his pocket as she walked over.

"Agent Gibbs," she said, smiling as she stopped by his desk. "Pool still in play?" she asked, motioning behind her towards Hamilton. He nodded. "All right then."

"Your op go smoothly?"

She rubbed the back of her neck, obviously still stressed. "Not without stumbling blocks but all's well that ends well, so they say."

Hamilton walked over to Tony. "Does the director often hang out here with Gibbs? They're being pretty obvious."

The very special agent would have been more amused if he wasn't feeling under the gun to get results. "Don't you have work to do, Probie?"

"Did you need something, Director?" He did his best to keep a straight face when she shot him a flirty look.

"Why yes I do, Agent Gibbs. I'm looking for a particularly short associate of yours. Is he here yet?"

Having not gotten the all-clear sign from Abby, he became worried. "He's on the premises. What is this regarding?"

"Excuse me?" She gave him a strange look. "If you must know, there has been a request of his social calendar and I thought I would run it by him."

They both noticed Hamilton looking at them strangely as Ziva did her best not to laugh.

Gibbs lowered his voice. "He's busy. I'll have him check in when his calendar clears."

Jenny raised her eyebrows. "Is that so? Hmm… I also wanted to know if we're all set for the State Dinner tomorrow evening."

Upon hearing that question, Hamilton joined them. "Yes, ma'am."

Ziva, Tony and Tim looked at each other in shock that Sean felt it was appropriate to interject himself into their conversation. Jenny raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips while Gibbs glared at the young agent. He pointed at the desk behind him. "Sit."

Stunned, Hamilton headed back to his desk quickly where he finally noticed the dumbfounded expressions of his coworkers. He looked at them questioningly, not understanding what had just happened. His computer pinged with an instant message from Tony: "Rule #21 - never, ever bother Gibbs when he's updating the Director. Way above your pay grade, Probie." Sean cringed at his mistake.

Gibbs walked around his desk so he was standing between Jenny and Agent Hamilton. "We're all set."

She nodded. "Anything else?"

He shook his head. "You could have called."

Jenny sighed. "I know, but it's been stressful and I wanted to shake it off by walking around." She then whispered, "I thought seeing you would be a nice reward for a job well done." He smirked. "Fine, I've distracted you long enough. Get back to work. I'm off to see Abby."

His eyes widened as he quickly cut her off. "Wait a second."

"What?"

He scratched his head, trying to think of something to distract her. He whispered, "How's the other short person?"

Jenny smiled. "She got cereal all over Mildred. It was quite amusing. For me. Not for Mildred."

He chuckled before turning serious. "What do you need Abby for?"

She narrowed her eyes. "You didn't feel I needed to visit you, now you're questioning why I would visit Abby. What's going on?"

"I just know you're a busy woman, Director."

She scrutinized him a bit more before crossing her arms in front of her. "Bullshit. You're up to something." He shot her a look. "Don't glare at _me_, Agent Gibbs."

Hamilton tried not to pay attention, but he heard that last part and was fascinated.

Tony answered a call. "Be right down." He headed towards Gibbs and Jenny. "Abby called. I get to go to the lab," he said with a shit-eating grin as he walked past the director. He then tripped and fell on the floor. He looked up at her stunned.

"Nobody likes a show-off, DiNozzo."

He grimaced as the others laughed at him. "I'll try to remember that, ma'am."

Gibbs scrubbed his hand down his face, realizing she wasn't going to make it easy for him. "Will you please just go back to your office and trust me?"

His words instantly put her at ease because she did trust him completely. "If you say so. Will I ever learn what it is you're up to?"

"If you behave."

Both noticed that Hamilton was listening, and they tried to hide their amusement. Jenny realized she had to do something to neutralize the situation and relished the opportunity. With her back to Hamilton, she said in an icy tone, "Watch it, Agent Gibbs. You are _not_ to speak to me in that manner. Am I being clear?" She winked at him.

Since he was facing the young agent, he had to keep his response measured. "Crystal, Madame Director," he bit back.

She rolled her eyes at his use of the old moniker he knew she hated. She then brushed past him, hitting him squarely in the shoulder as she headed for the stairs. Ziva and Tim shared a look, both amused by their antics.

"Get back to work!" he growled.

Later that night, after the kids were put in bed, Jenny got under the covers and began kissing her husband's ear. He was trying to ignore her as he pretended to read his book, knowing full well her intentions.

"Come on, Jethro," she purred into his ear. "Tell me what you're up to."

"Can't you see I'm reading?"

She moved her kisses down his neck. "I'd be more impressed if the book wasn't upside down."

Gibbs noticed she was right and cursed as he tossed it aside, along with his glasses.

"Does this have anything to do with why I found pink paint underneath Julia's toenails yesterday?"

He chuckled at Abby's ingenuity. He hadn't known about his daughter's involvement, but it made sense. "Not sure," he admitted.

She hit him on the chest lightly. "Come on, Jethro. I want to know what's going on."

He laughed. "First you tried seduction and now violence? What's next?"

"I'd try tickling but you're immune – which is very annoying." She sat up and crossed her legs underneath her. "Why won't you tell me?"

He looked at her, incredulous. "It's a surprise. Deal with it."

"A surprise," she mused. "Hmm…"

He rolled his eyes, turned out the light and lay down. "Go to bed, Jen. It'll mean more if you stop trying to figure it out."

"So it's a surprise for me?"

"Jen," he growled.

"Okay, okay. I'll go to sleep." She turned off the lamp on her side of the bed and lay down on top of him. "This is torture, you realize."

"You know saying that is just making me enjoy it more, right?" he whispered as he put his arms around her.

"You're a bastard," she said as she lightly hit him again on his chest.

"And yet you love me anyway," he said arrogantly, pressing a kiss to her head.


	46. Chapter 46

A/N: I really hope this works for you guys and you enjoy it. Thanks for continuing to read this story.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

The next day at work, Jenny had the feeling that everyone knew something she didn't. Probably because they did.

At about 1100, her lead agent announced they had solved their latest case, and his team would be spending the rest of the day working on their reports before the evening's State Dinner. Her own workload was light in anticipation of the big evening, so the director wandered down to the lab. As she walked through the door, lights began flashing and a siren sounded.

"Abbbbbbbby!" she yelled as she covered one ear with her free hand. The other one was occupied holding a Caf-Pow that only by the grace of Jenny's quick reflexes – wasn't in a giant, red puddle on the floor.

After what seemed like an eternity, the woman herself emerged from the back room all smiles. "Director! What a nice surprise to see you in my humble lab!" she yelled enthusiastically over the noise.

"Can you do something about this?" she asked, motioning around her.

"Oh right!" Abby immediately turned off the flashing lights and siren and noticed her visitor visibly relax. "Is that for me?" she asked excitedly, reaching for the drink.

Jenny narrowed her eyes as she moved the prize out of reach. "Not so fast. First - you have to prove you deserve it." The director wasn't sure how it was possible for the Goth to lose even more color from her already pale face, but she was pretty sure she did.

Abby straightened up. "Prove it?"

"I know you and Jethro are planning some kind of surprise. Fill me in… and then fill yourself up with this."

The younger woman walked backwards slowly until she was up against her desk. She casually reached behind her to activate the communications monitor in autopsy. "Director, I promise I'm not planning anything with the Silver Fox. Can I have the Caf-Pow now?"

Jimmy was working on the computer when he noticed what was happening in Abby's lab. He pressed mute on his end and immediately began to panic. "Um, Dr. Mallard. Code Red – the director is grilling Abby."

Ducky looked up from what he was doing. "Oh dear, Mr. Palmer. Why don't you head in there to cause a distraction while I get in touch with Jethro."

Jimmy cringed. "Will this anger Director Shepard? Because as scared as I am of Agent Gibbs, she scares me more."

The phone already to his ear, Ducky pointed his finger to the exit. "Go!"

"Yes sir," he said as he scampered out.

"Jethro, the director is down here questioning Abigail."

"Great," he sighed, shaking his head. "On my way, Duck."

In the lab, the Goth was eyeing the drink longingly as Jenny continued to tease her with it. "You know you want to tell me, Abby."

Just as it seemed as if the scientist might break, Jimmy came rushing through the door - annoying the redhead. "Abby, do you have the results yet that Dr. Mallard needs?" he asked pointedly.

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Out," she said to him as she pointed to the door. "Come back in ten."

Jimmy looked at her with fear in his eyes. "Um, yes ma'am." He passed Gibbs silently on his way out.

Jenny didn't notice until it was too late that her husband grabbed the drink out of her hand and handed it to Abby.

"Thanks Gibbs. Oh, you too, Director," she smirked.

Jenny went to her husband, her eyes flaring. "What do you think you're—"

"With me," he said over her. They remained silent, waiting for the elevator.

"Bye!" yelled Abby, waving as she slurped her drink.

Inside the elevator, Jenny pressed both of their floors, clearly annoyed.

"Jen, what do you think you're do—"

"I don't want to hear it from you," she said pointedly.

He flipped the switch.

She flipped it back and shot him a look, daring him to try that again.

He sighed, trying to hide his amusement. It suddenly became very clear to him that while she tried to be all knowing, Jenny was obviously clueless that Sunday was Mother's Day. Either that or she didn't realize that this year she was able to celebrate it. He found it surprising and rather… sweet. When the elevator reached his floor, he moved to exit but turned one last time to his wife. "Be good."

She scoffed and blew a strand of hair out of her eyes as she leaned back against the wall of the elevator.

A little later, Tony's phone rang. In the middle of typing a thought, he was distracted when he heard the director's voice on the other end.

"I need to see you in my office… _now_. And Tony… be discreet."

Gibbs noticed the shocked expression on DiNozzo's face and gave him a look that asked what was going on.

Tony swallowed heavily. "On my way." He hung up the phone and looked at his boss. "Be right back."

Gibbs watched as he headed towards the elevator and frowned. _He'd better be seeing Abby or Ducky. _But he knew.

The director leaned back in her chair and removed her glasses when she saw the very special agent walk through the door. "Close it," she instructed before he had a chance to sit down. Jenny was about to begin her inquiry when a thought dawned on her. There was no way that Abby had been able to steal Julia away from Mildred, so her trusty nanny must also be in on the surprise. She filed that thought away and decided to instead concentrate on Tony. "Mildred, I think Julia could use some fresh air. What do you think?"

The older woman smiled. "Splendid idea. Would you like for us to pick you up a coffee while we're on our walk?"

"That's all right. I have a feeling I'll be needing to send my husband out at some point and that would provide as good a reason as any."

Tony and Mildred shared a confused look as the director stood up to walk around her desk.

After the two were out the door and it was closed again, Jenny leaned back - eyeing the special agent carefully. "So, what was going on in Abby's lab yesterday when you were called down there?"

Feeling like a deer caught in the headlights, Tony stared blankly at her. "Um… not much."

"So Abby called you down, away from your work, for… not much. Is that it?"

"Kinda."

Jenny narrowed her eyes at him. "Do I have to send out a memo that she's not to waste agents' time by calling them down to her lab to do 'not much' then?"

Tony decided to turn on the charm and grinned. "No ma'am. It wasn't exactly 'not much' – just something that you, as someone who should be flying at around 100,000 feet, should leave to those of us who fly at around 20,000. Know what I mean?"

"Not really."

"Yeah," he said as he stood up and made his way towards the door. "Consider it handled. Won't be happening again. No memo needed. Great to see you by the way – nice suit. Gotta run."

"Tony!" she yelled but he'd already closed the door behind him. "Damn." Jenny quickly picked up the phone and dialed. "Officer David – my office, _now_. Classified."

Ziva looked around at her various coworkers, but everything seemed normal as they worked on their reports. She stood up and headed for the stairs.

"Where are you off to, Ziva?"

She looked at her boss and smiled. "Cynthia had a question for me. Be right back." He looked like he was about to say something, but she quickly headed up the stairs before he had a chance.

When she got to the top of the stairs, Tony exited the elevator in the bullpen. He considered warning Gibbs but then he realized whatever game his two bosses were playing, he was better off steering clear of it all.

Ziva walked into the director's office and found her leaning against her desk, motioning to the chair in front of her.

"Close the door and then take a seat, Ziva." She waited for her to sit before she began walking around the chairs like an animal stalking its prey. The Israeli watched her with a mixture of confusion and amusement. "What can you tell me about this project Abby and Gibbs are working on?"

It took her a few seconds, but she finally realized Jenny must have been referring to their Mother's Day plans. "I am sure I do not know. If it has to do with our case, then they—"

"No. I don't think it has to do with a case. Have you noticed anything strange going on?"

Ziva tried not to laugh. "You mean other than you calling me away from finishing my report for this mock interrogation?"

"Don't get cute, Ziva."

The agent stood up and took a deep breath. "You are bored, yes?"

Jenny straightened, looking at her with surprise. "Excuse me?"

Ziva raised her eyebrows. "Am I wrong? Would you really be worrying yourself with this line of questioning if you had a heavy workload?"

Jenny narrowed her eyes at her. "Go. But I'm kicking your ass even harder tomorrow."

Ziva smirked. "Doubtful. You will be too tired after tonight."

The director smiled, since she knew something about the evening that her friend did not. "If you say so."

A little while later, no one was surprised when Tim was called up to the director's office. She was hoping the element of surprise might loosen his tongue.

"Tell me, Tim… do you know the project that Abby and Gibbs are working on?"

His eyes widened. "No." He could tell from the look she gave him that she wasn't buying it. "What I mean, um… I don't know… Abby wouldn't… um… can I please go, ma'am?"

She sighed, quickly realizing it was an exercise in futility. There was no way Agent McGee would betray Abby – never mind her husband.

That left her with Mildred, who was just as tightlipped. Frustrated with all of them, Jenny called her husband. "Could you please get me some coffee? I'm dragging, and there's no way I'll be able to handle tonight if I don't get some caffeine."

"Good idea," he said before hanging up and heading out. Jenny watched from the catwalk until he left the building. She then walked downstairs and sat in his chair, putting her feet up on his desk. She appreciated the tension she felt emanating from the team. "Agent DiNozzo, please call Cynthia, Abby and Ducky and ask them to join us here."

He looked around nervously at the others while he did as she asked. After they arrived, everyone looked around nervously, waiting to see what would happen next.

Jenny smiled at each and every person before she finally laid her eyes on one very special agent. "Tony, what time is it?" she drawled.

"It's 1455 ma'am." Something dawned on him. He quickly opened a file on his computer and eyed her carefully. "You _promised_."

Hamilton looked at Tony - surprised at the tone he was taking with the director.

Jenny smirked. "Did I? Funny. Those details are a bit sketchy to me. Sort of how details were sketchy for each and every one of you whom I asked questions of today. Seems that no one had any idea what I was talking about." She stood up and walked around her husband's desk so she could sit on the edge. "It's not fun when someone doesn't remember something, is it?"

Tony frowned. "Director, you don't want to set a bad example, do you? You want to play fair."

"Do I? Let me consider that. Hmm…"

Gibbs walked back in carrying two coffees. He could see his wife holding court. He rolled his eyes, grateful that it was now 1500 and therefore she'd be sequestered in her office with hair and makeup. "Was there a meeting I wasn't told about, Director?"

She smirked as she took her coffee from him. "Tony was just reminding me that I need to set a good example and play fair. So I'm going upstairs now."

Everyone released the collective breath they were holding and relaxed as she headed for the stairs. She stopped suddenly and walked back to Gibbs. Jenny grabbed his tie, pulling him down so she could plant a feathery kiss on his lips. He was too stunned to say anything and helplessly watched her turn towards Sean. She smirked seeing his mouth on the ground, so she walked over and closed his mouth for him.

"Agent Hamilton, could you do me a quick favor?" He nodded. "Ask my husband there to collect my winnings from Tony. Thanks." She smiled when she saw the disappointed looks on everyone's faces – and the dumbstruck expression on one very embarrassed probie.


	47. Chapter 47

A/N: FYI, I've put up another 1-shot from this universe – it's called Meeting Mary.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs was incredulous. "You let _her_ in on the bet?" he asked, pointing towards his wife's office.

Tony's eyes widened, and he threw his hands up in surrender. "She wanted in! What was I supposed to do? Tell the director no?"

"You and the director _are married_?!"

All eyes turned back to Hamilton. Abby, in particular, was smirking. "You know, Sean, you're really going to have to step up your game if you want to call yourself an investigator."

The probie's mouth dropped again as he watched her turn on her heel and head back to the lab. Ducky snorted his approval and followed behind her.

The young agent turned his attention to Tony. "Is there a reason you couldn't fill me in? You sure weren't shy to give advice about everything else!"

The very special agent shrugged. "Couldn't ruin my own pool." He reached into his desk and handed a wad of cash to Gibbs.

Sean's eyes widened, his tone revealing his irritation. "Wait – you had a bet going – on me?"

"Technically on your investigative skills," chimed in Ziva. "But you did not pass."

Gibbs pocketed the money and headed up the stairs. Hamilton turned to the others still gathered. "He hates me, doesn't he?"

Tim waited until the boss was out of earshot. "I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think you're on his radar at the moment."

Gibbs ignored Cynthia and busted through the director's door.

Jenny didn't flinch, which worked out well since she was having makeup applied by a young woman leaning down over her. "You need something, Jethro?" she asked before she actually saw him.

"Yeah, you could say that." He took advantage of the opportunity to walk over to his daughter and pick her up. He caressed the little tufts of hair and pressed a kiss to her head.

Out of the corner of her eye, Jenny could see them and smiled. "What is it?" she asked in a more gentle voice.

Gibbs walked closer to her, finally noticing she was sitting there wearing only a slip. "Calm down. No one is out to get you." He reached into his pocket, grabbed the wad of cash and slipped it into her cleavage.

She raised a well-manicured eyebrow and smirked as she reached in to retrieve it. She then directed her next comment to the young woman doing her makeup. "It's my tip for last night's acrobatic work. I'm _very_ good."

He snorted, mildly surprised by her sassy remark. "Nah," he drawled. "It's for giving me the munchkin here." They locked eyes and smiled at each other. "Anyway, got some downtime. I'll take her home now to Noemi."

"Good idea. I knew there was a reason I married you."

"Yeah," he whispered as he ran a finger lightly down the curve of her neck, making her eyelashes flutter. "Cause you like _my_ acrobatic work."

"True," she sighed. "Your ass is pretty great too." She eyed it carefully as he walked out the door. "Sorry, we're both a bit horny. Kids and all."

Gibbs laughed at her explanation, despite the truth of it, as he closed the door behind him. He headed down to the lab, calling out for Abby since he didn't want her early warning system to scare Julia. She came out carrying the wrapped gift.

"Headed home now?" she asked. He nodded. "Aw, Miss Julia. Can I have her for a minute before you go?"

He smiled. "Quick trade." He beamed with pride as she doted on his daughter, showering her with kisses. He took hold of the gift she'd made. "Jen's going to love this. She'll be shocked."

Abby nodded. "Thanks for storing it for me. She has no idea it's Mother's Day. Are you sure you still want to us all over for dinner?"

"She'll love it. Especially since I'm grilling."

She gave Julia one last hug before handing her over. "Can't wait, El Jefe." She smiled seeing the baby burrow her face into his neck.

Gibbs kissed Abby's cheek and headed for the elevator. He walked through the bullpen on his way to the other set of elevators.

Tony and Ziva shared a look before turning to Hamilton. He saw them looking at him and sighed. "Fine. I was slow. Is that what you want me to say?" Both snickered.

It was a while later before Gibbs made his way back to the bullpen, just in time to get his team ready for the State Dinner. He looked incredibly dashing wearing a black tux – a fact that didn't go unnoticed by those in attendance as several around the room mocked him with whistles. A universal glare quieted everyone immediately.

"Ziver, you about ready?" he asked, obviously on edge. She nodded. He observed her in a dark suit and nodded his approval. He looked over at Agent Hamilton. "You?"

"Yes, sir. I mean... Agent Gibbs," he amended quickly, the color draining from his face. The young agent realized he was even more scared of his boss now that he knew he was married to the director.

Tony stood up and walked over to the probie, about to make a smartass comment, when out of the corner of his eye he noticed the director descending the stairs. All eyes turned, their mouths dropping.

Gibbs smiled and his eyes widened as he took her in. The full-length, lavender off-the-shoulder gown that hugged her in all the right places was definitely an eye-popper. The princess-cut diamond earrings, a present from Jethro long ago, adorned her ears. Her hair was swept up in an intricate 'do that framed her face beautifully. He nodded his approval, which elicited a coy smile from her.

She let her eyes take him in from head-to-toe. "My, you clean up nicely, Agent Gibbs."

"Not bad yourself there, Director," he flirted back, unable to contain his grin. He then whispered, "If I didn't know you'd keelhaul me, I'd drag you into the elevator and—"

"That'll do, Jethro," she warned over him. Her tone softened. "Maybe later."

He smirked as he held out his arm for her to take. Hamilton and Ziva quickly fell into line behind them as Tony saluted them all. The rest of the bullpen began clapping as they headed for the elevator, making Gibbs and Jenny roll their eyes at the ribbing they were getting. Both shot his patented glare, and the room fell silent.

Once inside the elevator, all four relaxed. Sean looked at Gibbs. "So you're not on protection duty, are you? You're escorting the director?"

Gibbs shot him a knowing look, and Jenny smirked. Ziva leaned back against the wall, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

"Top of his class? Really?" asked Gibbs, much to Jenny's irritation.

They exited the elevator and walked towards the limo that was waiting for them. Once inside, Ziva was surprised to find Tim, dressed in a dark suit. "McGee? I did not know you were coming."

"It was a last second addition," he managed smoothly as they started driving away.

"Why was I not told?" she asked.

Sean smiled. "I knew."

Both Gibbs and Jenny sighed, wishing the young agent could display a bit of sense at least once in a while. They avoided Ziva's probing eyes as long as they could.

"What is going on?" she insisted.

Gibbs looked at Jenny and raised his eyebrows, indicating he felt she might want to fess up.

She cleared her throat. "Ziva, the State Dinner tonight isn't for the German Chancellor. I sort of lied."

Ziva narrowed her eyes as her brain filtered through possible reasons why Jenny may have done so until she realized what the answer had to be. "Bibi," she sighed, referring to the nickname of Israel's prime minister. Her eyes widened. Jenny nodded. "You felt the need to trick me?"

The director shrugged. "Your father wasn't sure you'd agree to come otherwise. You will be sitting with him as his plus one."

She was irate. "I cannot believe you allowed him to manipulate you like this."

"Officer David," Jenny said pointedly, anger apparent in her tone. "No one manipulates me." She could tell Ziva was taken aback. "Eli asked for my help. I adore you both. It's time to make peace. _Way_ past time."

Tim and Gibbs looked at each other, both doing their best to avoid the sparks flying between the two women… and former partners.

"I should be the one to decide that, should I not, Director?" insisted Ziva.

"What are you waiting for?" sighed Jenny. "It's been eating you alive for years. You know it. I know it."

Ziva leaned back angrily in her seat, shaking her head. "Damn you, Jenny."

Hamilton's eyes widened in shock, but he had the good sense to keep his mouth shut this time.

The redhead eyed the woman sitting across from her intently until her gaze was met. "You are all each other have. And I don't care how mad he's made you or vice versa. If there's one thing I learned about Israelis while I was stationed over there it is this… in the end, he's mishpokhe. And family is everything."

The men held their collective breaths as they watched the two women stare daggers at each other, waiting to see who blinked first.

Ziva's bravado deflated as she leaned back in her seat. "Still should have been my decision."

"You took too long," sighed Jenny.

The rest of the car ride to the White House was made in silence. Gibbs found himself more and more intrigued by his wife's relationship with Ziva and about their time together as partners. He knew it wasn't like her to push someone else about family or butt her nose in and he was surprised she did it willingly. It made him also wonder about the bond between her and Eli David. He'd only seen them interact once – over an MTAC feed back when they were hunting Ari. Of course, he had no idea about anything back then. He wasn't even sure that Eli was Ziva's father at the time; never mind their relationship to his enemy.

Finally Jenny released her seatbelt and ordered Hamilton to switch seats with her. She scooted next to Ziva, and the two continued in whispers.

"Why are you doing this to me, Jenny?"

She took a lock of hair and put it behind Ziva's ear. "You saved my life." She saw the confusion in her friend's eyes, not understanding the connection. "I want to give you back yours."

"What do you mean?"

"You must understand that in the end, you were responsible for the choices you made. You can't keep blaming him. He could ask things of you, but you made the decision to see things through." Ziva looked at her with surprise. Jenny's expression relaxed. "Yes, I knew. I always knew you were the one who… who took out Ari." She saw her surprise. "You did what you had to do. Does blaming your father really lessen the pain in your heart?"

"It was his fault." She withered under her friend's glare. "What? What do you want from me?"

Jenny placed her arm around Ziva's shoulder. "I want you to blame the person whose fault it truly was – Ari. Even if he's dead, it was still his fault. He drove you both to the decisions that had to be carried out. But your father hurts too. He misses who Ari should have been. He misses you. But he knew you needed out."

Ziva's eyes widened, and she nodded.

"That's right. I got him to agree to the liaison position before you even brought it up. Don't tell him I told you. Now do you understand? He put your needs ahead of his own – as any father would do."

Ziva looked at her, stunned by this revelation. She had thought coming to NCIS was her own idea, that she had talked Jenny into it – granted it didn't take a lot of convincing. And now she knew why. Ziva leaned back against the seat, trying to absorb everything Jenny had just told her. She looked at Gibbs, the man who had become a surrogate father to her. She knew he didn't understand what was happening, but the unconditional support in his eyes still meant the world to her. "Do you think I should give my father a chance?"

He looked at his wife and then back at Ziva. "What do you think?"

"I do not know."

The lost look in her eyes made his heart hurt. He knew what he had to ask. "Do you trust Jenny?"

Ziva looked at her friend and smiled before she nodded to Gibbs. And just like that, she felt the strength she needed to deal with her father.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

A/N: I would like to remind everyone that the Life Universe broke off from official NCIS canon BEFORE the Season 6 episode, "Aliyah," so none of the events from that episode (or any that followed) ever took place in the world of this story.

P.S.: It's also before "Dead Reckoning" with Kort, for obvious reasons.


	48. Chapter 48

A/N: Autopsy Gremlin, I just adore your reviews and wish I could thank you privately but your PM feature is off. So I will use this space to say thank you!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Jenny threaded her fingers into her husband's right hand as they headed into the Yellow Oval Room on the residence floor of the White House. It was there that the president was holding an informal gathering before dinner to introduce his guests to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. McGee and Hamilton remained outside while the other three entered. Within moments, each was given a glass of champagne.

When it was Ziva's turn to greet the Prime Minister, he gave her a warm smile. "Eli is delayed, but he will be at the dinner. I'm glad you could come, Ziva." He saw a flicker of duress in her eyes and turned to the director. "Ah. I take it you had a hand in getting her here?"

Gibbs watched their exchange carefully. His wife's connections never ceased to amaze him.

Jenny smiled knowingly. "Perhaps. Good to see you again, Prime Minister." When he narrowed his eyes at her, she chuckled. "Fine. _Bibi_."

"Thank you for all you've done and continue to do. You've always been a good friend to Israel, and we appreciate it."

Jenny nodded her head in thanks. "I'd like you to meet my husband, Special Agent Jethro Gibbs."

The two shook hands, as the Prime Minster smiled. "You're a lucky man, Agent Gibbs. My wife and I have always been rather fond of this one," he said, pointing to Jenny.

"Believe me, I know how lucky I am, sir," he said warmly.

"And I heard about you helping this one," he added, nodding in Ziva's direction. "When there was that unfortunate incident a couple of years ago with that Iranian agent. I've known Ziva since she was a little girl, so thank you." Gibbs nodded. The prime minister turned to the woman in question and whispered, "I still think of Tali often."

Ziva sighed. "Thank you. And Yoni, as all of Israel does."

He nodded. "And Yoni."

Jenny took her husband aside to let them talk. "Yonatan was the prime minister's older brother. Do you remember when that group… they were part of the PLO… hijacked a plane in '76 and took everyone hostage to Uganda?" He nodded. "His brother," she whispered, motioning to the prime minister, "was the one who led the raid on Entebbe that rescued everyone." She sighed sadly. "He was the only Israeli soldier killed in the operation. He died a hero."

Gibbs sighed too, understanding why the prime minister would have a soft spot for Ziva having lost her younger sister. He squeezed his wife's hand as she melted into his side.

It wasn't long before it was time to move on. They watched as the president and the prime minister, along with their wives, walked down the Grand Staircase to the Entrance Hall. The United States Marine Band, The President's Own, welcomed the foursome by playing four ruffles and flourishes and then, "Hail to the Chief." Jenny watched Ziva's eyes become misty when they played Israel's national anthem, "Hatikvah," and smiled to see her mouthing the words.

After making their way through the receiving line, they walked down Cross Hall to enter the State Dining Room. Jenny's eyes danced around, noting the light stone colored walls, the multi-colored Colonial Revival style floral print draperies as well as the chandelier and wall sconces as they shined in brilliant metallic gold.

As they headed towards their seats, she ran her fingers over the Chiavari chairs surrounding the round tables. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Ziva was still close by. She looked at the place card in her hand, noting the pretty calligraphy, and saw that her number matched the one on Ziva's. "Apparently your father arranged for us to be at the same table." She forgave her friend's eye-roll, knowing she earned it, if not more.

Gibbs would have looked around the room, but he was too mesmerized by his wife's face as she took in everything. He did note the cameras, which were providing the feed to C-SPAN for the evening and glared, making his wife laugh.

"Comes with the package, I'm afraid." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek and then wiped away her lipstick mark.

Gibbs glanced over at his two agents and saw Hamilton smirking. He glared, causing the young man to immediately look elsewhere. He turned back to look at his wife and smiled as he squeezed her close to him. He leaned his head down into her hair and whispered in her ear, "Have I told you yet that you take my breath away?"

She turned her head to look up at him and swallowed heavily. A slight blush came to her cheeks and she smiled genuinely. "No fair making me want you so much when I can't do anything about it for hours."

He laughed as he pulled out her chair. Once she was seated, he walked to the other side of Jenny and pulled out the chair for Ziva. He rubbed her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her head. "I'm here if you need me. We both are."

Ziva nodded appreciatively before taking her seat between Jenny and where her father would be sitting.

After speeches were delivered about diplomatic relations by both the president and the prime minister, the wait staff prepared to bring out the first course.

Ziva leaned back in her chair. "Of course he is late."

Jenny waited for the matzah ball soup to be placed in front of her before she turned to her friend. "He _is_ a busy man."

She scowled. "Stop making excuses for him."

The director smirked before trying the soup. "Wow, this is really good."

Ziva tried it next. "Not easy to get the kneidlach light and fluffy like this. I am impressed."

Gibbs tested it and made a face, causing his wife to laugh. "I wouldn't hold out for steak, if I were you. The menu is usually made up of specialties from the guest's culture or homeland. Israel isn't known for its steak."

He frowned. "What is it known for?"

"Kebabs. We love our kebabs, Agent Gibbs," smiled Eli David as he smoothly took his seat next to his daughter. "Chicken, lamb, beef – if we're lucky, we'll get all three." He turned his attention to his eldest daughter, placing a hand on both sides of her head and kissing her forehead. "Shalom, Ziva."

After a few seconds, Ziva looked him in the eye. "Shalom, Aba."

The corners of his mouth turned up. "Thank you for coming. I wasn't sure you would."

Jenny stopped moving her spoon towards her mouth, freezing on the spot since she had a good idea what was coming next out of her friend's mouth.

"You have your partner in crime to thank for getting me here. I was tricked," groused Ziva.

The usually deadly serious Eli threw his head back and laughed. "Do not be too hard on our dear Jenny. She knew I wanted the chance to see you and talk."

Ziva narrowed her eyes at both of them. "I thought she was _my_ friend – not yours."

"You do know I'm sitting right here, hearing everything," Jenny teased in a singsong voice. When both Davids glared at her, she reached for some challah and returned to eating.

Eli leaned back in his chair and sighed. "I don't like the way things have been between us. Can we clear the air?"

"Is this really the place?"

He eyed her carefully. "Are you planning a trip home anytime soon?" He could tell by the look on her face she wasn't. "I didn't think so. I leave for Israel in a few hours. When were you thinking you'd prefer?"

"I would like to enjoy my meal, if you do not mind."

He shrugged. "As long as you are willing to talk with me at some point."

Gibbs and Jenny shared a look, both unsure what to make of the so-called progress being made next to them.

"Agent Gibbs, I hear congratulations are in order. I hope you know if you hurt Jenny, you will answer to me."

"Aba!" admonished Ziva.

"Eli, please," laughed Jenny.

Gibbs chuckled, both at Eli's audacity and his wife and friend's reaction. "Nothing to worry about."

"Good. So when do I get to see pictures of your daughter?" he asked.

Jenny reached into her purse for her phone. "You could have asked at any time. I'm always up for showing off. Here's the latest one of her," she said, handing him her phone.

He squinted at the picture before reaching for his glasses. Julia was in Sam's lap. He was frowning but Julia was all smiles, wearing a tiny NCIS T-shirt and jeans - but only one sock, having kicked the other off. "She is precious, Jenny. And you thought you weren't the type to get second chances. Or that you'd ever be a mother," he mused.

Gibbs reached over to caress her lower back.

Jenny looked at Eli with surprise. "You remember my saying that?" she marveled, allowing herself to think back to that time in her life. "Keep in mind, you kept refilling my wine glass that Shabbat dinner. It was before I knew to keep an eye on you."

He reflected for a moment before answering her. "My dear friend, your sharing that was probably the most memorable thing you ever said. Your sadness, your regret, was palpable – and a side of you rarely shown."

Jenny looked at her husband and touched his cheek lovingly. "Thank God for you," she whispered, kissing his lips lightly.

Eli returned to looking at the picture on her phone. "The little boy?"

Under the table, Jenny placed her hand on her husband's leg and squeezed lightly. "That's our son, Sam." She saw Eli raise an eyebrow. "Jethro's son," she clarified, "but I'm in the process of adopting him."

Ziva's eyes widened as she turned to her friends. "I did not know that. Mazel tov!" She immediately hugged Jenny.

Eli handed the director back her phone but couldn't stop smiling.

"What?" she asked, amused by his reaction.

"I can't get over how much you've changed from your time with us."

Gibbs placed his arm around her as he leaned closer towards the director of Mossad. "How so?"

Jenny nodded, indicating he could speak freely.

"Your wife, Agent Gibbs, was always very professional about her work and rarely let her guard down – even on social occasions – except for that one time I just mentioned. She had a hardness about her, very driven. I'm not speaking out of turn, am I?" Jenny shook her head. "Now she smiles, even in her eyes - and is unmistakably happy. Marriage and motherhood obviously agree with you."

"Toda raba, Eli." She smiled as he raised his glass, indicating he wanted to make a toast.

"To family," he said pointedly, looking at his daughter briefly. "May your children bring you great naches. L'Chaim."

"L'Chaim," chimed in the others.

Gibbs leaned over and whispered in Jenny's ear. "Did he just wish for the kids to bring us nachos? Cause I can get behind that."

She elbowed him gently in his stomach as she tried not to laugh. "Naches… it means joy, pride. It's Yiddish."

"Yeah, well I like nachos. I may try to train Sam to bring 'em out to me during baseball games."

Jenny grabbed his chin and kissed him briefly on the lips. "You are too much."

Hamilton leaned over to McGee and shook his head. "I really am an idiot."

Tim sighed. "Yep."

The rest of the meal's courses consisted of falafel and hummus with pita, the three kabobs that Eli predicted, a cucumber and tomato salad and finally dessert. In addition to traditional jelly donuts, there were also fruits from the region that included tzabber (a prickly pear), persimmon, plums, nectarines and a pomegranate for decoration.

Gibbs noticed his wife's mood darken as she stared at the fruit plate. "What is it?"

"Pomegranate," she said in a low whisper as she picked up the fruit in her hand. They locked eyes, both remembering the child they lost and the ceremony they had under the pomegranate tree back in New Mexico.

He removed the item from her hand, putting it back on the plate. "Come here," he said, placing his arm around her as she melted into his side. He pressed a kiss to her head as he whispered, "I love you."

"It still hurts," she admitted.

"I know," he said, rubbing her back to comfort her. "Me too."

With their friends engrossed in conversation, Eli turned to his daughter. "Now may we speak frankly with each other, Ziva?" He saw her tense up, but she did give him her attention. "I don't like the distance between us."

"I believe your phone can make outgoing calls as well as receive," she said pointedly.

He sat back in his chair and rubbed his neck. "I suppose since you are the one who is angry, that it would be proper form to await your next move. I didn't realize you wanted me to call."

"If you were waiting for my next move, why did you have people spy on me?" she bit back. She saw his surprise. "Michael Bashan showed me the surveillance photos from my visits to my partner's apartment. What was the purpose of that?"

He was surprised by the anger she was revealing in public, despite her hushed tones. His response was mild, unfazed by her attack. "I wanted to know about your life. You weren't telling me anything and when I would ask your director, she redirected me to call you myself.

Ziva couldn't help but smile at that piece of news. She was glad Jenny was able to show _some_ restraint when it came to dealing with her father.

He continued, "Not feeling like that was a choice, I used what means I had at my disposal."

"Are you still doing it?"

He shook his head. "I was impressed by how you handled the Iranian. I could see NCIS was… is good for you," he managed grudgingly. "But that's a semi-recent event, not the cause of our issues." She shook her head. "This is about Ari?" When she locked eyes with him, he remained silent, waiting to hear what she had to say.

Ziva took a deep breath, braced herself with steely reserve and kept her eyes trained on her father for his reaction. "He said you were responsible for his mother's death. True?" The horrified look and his utter shock almost made her regret asking… almost. But she needed to know.

"He said _what_?!" he hissed, his righteous anger grabbing the attention of everyone at the table.

Gibbs started to stand up but with a simple hand gesture and a piercing look from his wife, he sat back down. "It's between them," she whispered.

Ziva stayed strong despite his forbidding glare. "I do not believe you want me to repeat that."

Eli let the accusatory words sink in. He felt like the wind had been knocked out of him - to realize that his son could think that – and his daughter believe it. Feeling suffocated by it all, he stood up quick, pushing his chair back violently in the process. "I need some air," he said, looking a bit lost – completely unlike the fierce figure Ziva had ever known her always-in-control father to be.

It deflated her. She started to get up. "Aba, come back."

"I got this."

Jenny and Ziva both looked up in surprise at Gibbs as he followed Eli outside. The redhead quickly asked, "Should we have stopped him?"

The Israeli shook her head. "Gibbs was there. He knows."

Jenny placed a gentle hand on Ziva's chin and turned her back towards her. "Whom do you believe now? Your father or Ari?"

She sighed. "After it happened and I told Gibbs how confused I was, he accused Ari of being a Svengali. I do not know why it was easier to think the best of him and the worst of my father."

"I can't believe I worked with you all that time and never knew you had a brother."

"It was 'need to know,' Jenny. I was not at liberty to reveal that especially considering he was undercover with Hamas."

Jenny leaned back in her chair and nodded. "I know. So what now? Do you want some time off to go back to Israel?" She looked closely at her friend and could see vulnerability within her that she rarely revealed.

Ziva kept her eyes on her hands, which were folded in her lap. "I have never seen my father so… so injured by anything in my life. I do not know if I can fix what I have broken."

Jenny sighed as she drew the other woman to her and held her close. "Wanting to - is a great first step. You are his child, Ziva. You'd be amazed what saying 'I'm sorry' can do to heal even the worst of emotional wounds."

She allowed her friend to comfort her, relaxing her head against her shoulder. "Isn't that breaking rule #6?"

Jenny leaned her head against Ziva's. "That stupid rule of Jethro's doesn't apply to family."

It didn't take long for Gibbs to catch up to Eli outside. His bodyguards attempted to intervene but Eli waved them off. "What do you want, Agent Gibbs? My daughter has already done her worst."

"I was there."

The director of Mossad looked the special agent in the eye. "That's right. My son wanted to kill you."

"Because I reminded him of you."

Eli laughed but there was no mirth in his eyes. "He said that?" Gibbs nodded. "Were you insulted?"

It was Gibbs' turn to laugh. "Didn't know you at the time. Not that I do now…"

The director nodded. "Ziva believed his nonsense that I had his mother killed." He shook his head, incredulous.

Gibbs eyed the man carefully. "Your son was very convincing. But I had already been conditioned not to believe a word out of his mouth. Your daughter…"

"Yes. My daughter. She always wanted to believe in him. I think he was bigger than life to her. I told her my suspicions. She didn't want to believe me," he added sadly.

Gibbs nodded. "All of her beliefs, her love and trust in her brother, were turned upside down."

Eli took a deep breath and nodded. "They both should have known the Army orders a strike - not me." He then allowed, "I did know about it but made sure he was with me. I swear I had no idea his mother was at the complex. She wasn't scheduled to be there. Even though we were no longer together, I _never_ would have wanted to see her hurt."

Gibbs wasn't sure why but he believed the other man, but he did. He was as much a victim of Ari's sick mind as they all were.

"If he really and truly believed me capable of that, I wish he had confronted me. I wish Ziva had," he sighed. "I hope you never experience any break in trust with your daughter, Agent Gibbs. It is completely devastating."

"Call me Jethro."

Eli smiled and nodded. "Thank you for being there for my daughter. I know she looks up to you."

Gibbs shrugged. "She saved my life. It goes both ways."

Eli ran his hand down his face, obviously pained by his memories. "I hope you never know the sting of a son's betrayal."

"But at least you have a daughter who loves you. And I do… love you, Aba."

Gibbs and Eli turned around to face Ziva… The special agent squeezed his young friend's shoulder as he passed, allowing the father and daughter some privacy.

Eli and Ziva observed each other; there was a bit of physical and emotional distance separating them. She looked at him and shrugged. "I am sorry. Can you ever forgive me?"

His eyes softened as he opened his arms, allowing her to run into them like she had so many times as a child. "For you, Ziva? Anything."

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

A/N: If you have any interest in knowing more about what happened with the hijacking/hostage crisis, check out the movie, "Raid on Entebbe" – it's quite excellent and a pretty accurate account of what happened.


	49. Chapter 49

A/N: I fully admit the events of the last week had an influence on this chapter. I know this story doesn't take place in present day (it's currently May 2010), but I felt motivated to do _something_. Thanks to all who continue to read this story – it means a lot! I appreciate that even though you may have issues with my portrayal of Eli, you're still reading. Though those who did probably aren't reading this because they don't read my A/N's - since I said that nothing that happened from the end of Season 6 on matters in this Universe.

A/N 2: Just an FYI. I'm going through a lot of change right now. Not sure I'll be able to stick to the Sunday upload schedule after this.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

The vibration of her cell phone woke Jenny up. She looked at the clock, which was flashing 0348, and groaned. She reached for her phone and glanced at the text message. "Shit!" she exclaimed and then mentally kicked herself for possibly waking her husband.

"What is it?" he asked, his marine instincts on full alert.

"One of our overseas embassies was bombed. We lost several workers and an ambassador. It's going to get ugly."

"Did you know any of them?" She shook her head. "Anything to do with Israel or last night?" he asked, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her flush against him.

"No. If there's any solace to be had in this situation, that's it. But it's still bad. We've moved up a color on the threat level. I have to go in," she sighed, placing her phone back on the nightstand before turning into him.

He dropped his head into her hair and pressed a kiss into her temple. "If I'd known you had to go in early this morning, I wouldn't have worn your ass out last night," he growled as he nipped at her neck.

_His memory quickly went back to last night, after they arrived home from the State Dinner. Once they checked in on Sam and then Julia, he'd almost chased her squealing into the bedroom. But after he entered, the hunted became the hunter. She locked the door behind him, arousal apparent in her eyes. She stepped out of her dress and watched as her husband took his sweet time looking her up and down. Jenny tried not to laugh as he quickly disposed of his clothes. By the time all was said and done, it looked like a cyclone had gone through their bedroom. He was a sweaty mess and she was hanging halfway off the side of the bed, both laughing at how damn good it felt. He pulled her back to safety and as they lay there on their backs, staring at the ceiling, they smiled silently - basking in the afterglow._

She managed a small laugh at the shared memory and kissed his chest. "We needed that. I've missed being with you. And it'll give me the strength to get through today. But," she began, a dangerous look in her eye, "if you find it in your heart to bring me coffee once… maybe five times today, I wouldn't turn it away."

He allowed the corners of his mouth to turn upwards. "On it," he said, kissing her on the cheek as he got up make her that first cup. "Go shower."

She stood in the doorway of the bathroom, watching him leave and wondered how she got so lucky when halfway across the world someone else's life had ended in senseless violence. Thinking about things like that didn't make her job easier. But the importance of it weighed heavy on her heart.

Many hours later at school, Sam and Dylan were joking around with each other and having a great time when their teacher started clapping her hands to get everyone's attention.

"Okay, kids, I want everyone to grab their supplies. I'm going to hand out some paper. We're going to work on a special project," she smiled.

Firmly ensconced in MTAC for a satellite conference with the various heads of the alphabet food chain, Jenny adjusted her headset before her eyes narrowed on the file in front of her. The raised threat level had everyone on edge. Her concentration was fully in the moment that she didn't notice the worried look on her assistant's face as she sat at the console with the other techs.

Cynthia was put in charge of her boss's cell phone and noticed the contact name, "Sam's school," pop up on the screen. She had a feeling this call probably should be answered, even if the owner couldn't be interrupted.

She cringed. Before even hearing a greeting, she could make out crying in the background. "Director Shepard's line. How may I help you?" she asked as quietly and as cheerfully as possible.

"This is Principal Fleury. Is she available? We've had… an incident… here at school with Sam."

Cynthia sighed. She knew there was no way she could interrupt the director, even if she weren't on videoconference with the heads of Homeland Security, FBI, CIA NSA, State Department and Secret Service. "Could you hold a second?" She immediately laid the phone down and lifted up another phone to dial the extension for Agent Gibbs.

He was taking a sip of coffee as he picked up the phone, not even bothering to move his eyes off his computer screen. "Yeah Gibbs."

"It's Cynthia. Sam's school has called the Director but she can't take it. Can I have them call you?"

His heart started to beat a bit faster. "Does this happen often?"

"Never," she acknowledged.

He swallowed heavily and scrubbed his hand down his face. "Yeah, I'll take it."

Relief washed over her. "I'll have them call you as soon as we hang up."

"Cynthia," he interrupted, hoping to catch her before she ended the call. "Don't tell her they called."

She nodded even though he couldn't see it. "Good luck."

A few moments later, his phone rang and he answered it, ignoring the looks he was getting from his team. "Gibbs."

"Hello, Mr. Gibbs. This is Principal Fleury. I'm calling from your son's school."

"What's happened?" he asked abruptly, not interested in anything else the woman might have to say. He heard her sigh on the other end. He could also hear Sam.

"Your son won't stop crying."

Gibbs scratched his eyebrow, a nervous reaction to dealing with something he wasn't prepared for regarding his son. The only response he could think to say was, "Why?"

"It is all rather confusing. Apparently, his teacher created an activity for all of the children in which they could make gifts for their mothers since Sunday is Mother's Day."

He groaned.

"Your son started screaming after that, yelling that it wasn't Mother's Day but rather something called Gummy's Day and he kept insisting she had to take it back. When the other kids joined in, sticking up for the teacher, he dissolved into tears and we haven't been able to get him to stop. It was very disruptive to the other kids, and we had to remove him from the classroom. We thought it would be best if you could come get him."

He was incensed and had a hard time controlling his anger. "What is wrong with you people? Don't you all know he just lost his mother?! Where is your Goddamn sensitivity?" he yelled.

The principal was too stunned to speak.

Exasperated, Gibbs yelled into the phone, "On my way," and then slammed it down hard. He shook his head, not really sure how he was going to make this up to his son. In a very uncharacteristic move, he pointed at DiNozzo. "With me," he said as he headed for the elevator.

"On your six, Boss," he said as he quickly jumped to his feet to join him. He saw the look Ziva gave him and quickly shrugged before running to catch up with Gibbs at the elevator. Once they were inside the elevator, Tony turned deadly serious. "What happened?"

Gibbs closed his eyes, completely berating himself for what happened. "My fault. Didn't prepare him."

Tony narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

He shook his head. "We thought we'd handled it. Abby renamed it Gummy's Day."

The younger man nodded. "Instead of Mother's Day?" He was starting to piece things together.

"Didn't warn his school. Damn it," he yelled, throwing his fist into the wall as the door opened to the garage. "Thought they'd be sensitive." He sighed as he led the way to his car.

As they settled in the car, Tony took a risk, not knowing how the older man would handle his attempt at comfort. "Don't beat yourself up over this. Something was bound to remind him of his mom."

Gibbs then tore out of the parking space at breakneck speed. "You didn't hear his screaming." It was the last thing either said during the ride over.

Once they got to the school, Tony had to run to keep up with him. When they entered the school's office, Gibbs looked around, trying to find his son – and spotted him curled up in fetal position on the floor next to a bookcase.

Seeing the anger on his face, Principal Fleury held up a hand as if to say stop. "We didn't put him there. He won't let any of us near him."

Gibbs released a big sigh as he headed carefully over to retrieve the boy. He bent down on one knee next to him, gently touching his shoulder. "Sam. DiNozzo and I are here. Come with us."

Sam slowly removed the arm he was using to shield his face and glared at his dad. "You saig it was for Gummy but it's not!" he yelled with as much anger as he could muster. His lower lip trembled as he sniffed, trying to choke back tears. "They laugh at me."

Tony felt horrible – he couldn't imagine how Gibbs felt. He watched as the man in question reached out to lift the boy into his arms. He was then horrified as Sam began kicking and screaming, trying to break free. Without another word, he followed the two out of the office and to the car. "Sam, stop fighting, please," he tried, wanting to help.

Sam glanced up from his crying after hearing his friend's voice and quickly reached out for him. "Tony," he said desperately.

Without a fight, Gibbs handed over his son - grateful he was able to accept comfort from _someone_, even if it hurt like hell that it wasn't him. But he understood. Tony's hands were clean in the whole Mother's Day debacle.

They stood outside the car for several minutes, waiting for the boy to calm down. Tony looked helplessly at Gibbs as he hugged Sam to him. "Hey, can we talk?" Sam leaned back and nodded sadly. "Remember how it upset you so we started calling 'you know what' by the word mud? Well your dad and Abby were trying to do the same thing with Gummy's Day. They didn't want to make you sad. Am I right, Boss?"

Gibbs closed his eyes briefly and nodded curtly, appreciating the approach DiNozzo was taking.

"No one wanted anybody to laugh at you, Sam. We all love you. Please don't be mad, okay?" continued Tony.

The young boy sighed, not sure what to make of it all. He was so exhausted; he just collapsed back down against Tony's shoulder.

Gibbs nodded his head towards the car. So after opening it up for them, he watched as Tony leaned in and placed Sam in his car seat. The younger man then went around to the other passenger door and sat down next to his young friend.

"DiNozzo, I'm dropping you off at work. I'm taking him home."

"Got it."

He sighed. "I doubt Jenny will get out of MTAC before late tonight but if she notices I'm not there, just have her call me. I'd rather her not know, at least not before Sunday."

"It's a cover up. Got it."

Gibbs rolled his eyes.

A while later, after Sam woke up from his nap, Gibbs took him to the basement to work on the new boat kit he started. He put his son on the floor nearby with a box of crayons and paper. "Want to talk about it?"

Sam sighed heavily, not lifting his eyes from the blank piece of paper in front of him. "About what?"

The elder man took a deep breath. "Your mom. Thought maybe you could draw her a picture for… for Mother's Day." His son's wide eyes looked up at him and began to water. "We could visit her grave, and you can give it to her. You know… if you want," he suggested, giving a slight shrug of his shoulders.

Sam silently nodded. He immediately picked out his favorite colors from the box - only the best would do for his mom.


	50. Chapter 50

A/N: Thanks for your patience. I really want to thank ladybugsmomma for a suggestion she made for this chapter. Loved it!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Later that evening, Jenny's detail brought Julia home to Gibbs. Noemi stayed a little longer than usual to help him with dinner and bath time. It wasn't until 2200 that he finally heard from his wife, letting him know she would be staying overnight at work. He could hear the stress and fatigue in her voice. He tried to keep the disappointment out of his own, knowing she had enough to worry about.

Saturday was interesting. It was the first time he had the kids all to himself for the entire day. Gibbs was determined not to break down and call in the reinforcements. Instead he asked Sam to help him out with Julia, but the boy was still a bit withdrawn and not altogether happy with him - never mind his baby sister. The morning was spent kicking around a soccer ball while Julia napped. Around lunchtime, Gibbs decided they were in need of an outing. He packed the kids into the car, went through a drive-thru to get some food and drove over to NCIS. He set everything up in Jenny's office and then called her cell.

After about 45 minutes, she was able to sneak away to join them. Sam had already eaten and was working on his coloring book while Julia sat on her daddy's lap.

Gibbs looked up when she entered the room and frowned. "You look pale and tired."

She narrowed her eyes. "Thanks a lot." She reached down to ruffle Sam's hair, but he had no reaction. Jenny looked at her husband with concern as she glanced at the salad he'd gotten her before she joined him on the couch. "Everything all right?"

"Yeah," he said as he handed her Julia. "What about you? Do you think you'll get home tonight?"

Julia began nuzzling against her breast, so she quickly unbuttoned her shirt and started to feed her. She sighed with relief after she latched on, closing her eyes briefly. "Late, but I should be able to. We're wrapping up around 2200, I think. Decisions need to be made and then…" She stopped herself, not wanting to continue. Jenny glanced down at her daughter and touched her soft cheeks. "I've missed you guys. How've you been holding up?"

Gibbs ran his fingers through her hair, trying to help her unwind. "We're managing, but we miss you too."

She relaxed into his touch and remained silent, drinking him in before she turned her attention to Sam. "How are you doing, monkey?"

He looked up from his coloring and saw her smiling at him. The boy tentatively turned his gaze to his father, who was sending him encouragement silently. "Okay. Coloring."

She looked over. "I can see that. You're really good."

He managed a small smile. "Thank you," he responded politely before returning to his coloring.

Jenny sensed there was more but with so much on her mind already, she let it go. She handed Julia over to Gibbs to burp as she put herself back together. She held her daughter's sides and leaned in to kiss her back. "Love you, sweet girl." She moved a bit so she could look in her husband's eyes. "Thank you for doing this. I miss you like crazy."

He nodded tightly since he felt the same way. They kissed for a few moments before she broke away, grabbed her salad and stood up. "Love you, Sam. See you tomorrow morning."

"Bye," he said without looking up.

Jenny looked questioningly at her husband, but all he had to offer was a noncommittal shrug.

He watched her go and while he felt badly about not filling her in, with all she had going on he knew it was for the best.

It wasn't until around 2325 that Jenny arrived home and slipped into bed, completely exhausted. So when Gibbs woke up and saw it was only 0630, he was determined to let her sleep. He managed to get up without waking her and turned off the baby monitor.

He went to check on Julia. The baby was awake and cooing to herself, which made him smile. He gently picked her up and showered her with kisses before he set about changing her diaper. Afterwards, he picked out a cute little yellow shirt with a bumblebee on it and black pants - figuring Jenny would put her in a dress after she ruined this outfit at breakfast. He held her against his shoulder and headed down the hall. He glanced inside Sam's room and smiled to see him curled up with Simon.

The boy heard the creak of the door and immediately opened his eyes. "Is it time to get up?" he mumbled.

"Only if you want to. I'm taking Julia to the kitchen to have her breakfast and then I'm going to make some for the rest of us. Come when you feel like it."

He released a giant sigh and let his head fall back down on the pillow. "Okay."

Gibbs chuckled as he closed the door slightly. It was an adventure feeding his daughter her cereal. She had more fun refusing to open her mouth and then smiling when he acted like he was going to give up. Once in a while she'd finally accept it in her mouth only to let it spill down her face instead of swallowing it. "You know, I'd be getting pretty mad, Jules, if you weren't so darn cute." After wiping her face and limbs, he put her in her Bumbo seat so he could clean up around her and begin to cook breakfast.

It wasn't long before Sam showed up with Simon. The boy looked to still be half asleep. "Gonna watch cartoons," he muttered on his way to the living room.

Gibbs leaned in to Julia. "Your brother is silly." She smiled and her eyelashes fluttered, happy for the attention. "You, young lady, aren't going to be allowed out of this house before you're 30."

After feeding Sam, he prepared more pancakes and bacon for Jenny. He placed her plate on a special tray along with a little cup filled with syrup and a steaming mug of coffee. He then went to the fridge and pulled out a single yellow rose along with some baby's breath that he had waiting to put in a small vase. He smiled to himself, proud of his romantic effort. After a visit to the basement, he placed a card and a small gift he'd been hiding down there on the tray.

Now the hard part: how to get it, plus Julia, to the bedroom in one trip. Inspiration hit and he quickly headed for the entryway where he retrieved the carrier he used to strap her to him when they went on walks. He put her in it, but something told him he might have a problem with Sam. He walked to where the boy was watching cartoons and sat down next to him.

"I'm bringing Gummy breakfast in bed for her special day. Will you come with me and Jules?"

The boy thought about it and shook his head.

Gibbs sighed. "Why not?"

Without even looking at him, he simply shrugged.

"Don't blame her for what happened at school. She had nothing to do with that. You know how much she loves you?"

He seemed to be thinking about it before he nodded his head.

"Then don't you think it'd be nice if you were with us to wish her a happy day?"

"I guess," he sighed dramatically.

Gibbs leaned back against the couch and looked at his son carefully. "I want to tell you something, and I think you're a big enough boy to handle it."

Sam puffed out his chest a bit and listened more carefully to his dad.

The special agent rubbed his daughter's back as he took a deep breath. "There isn't anything in this world more important to Gummy than her family – you, me and Julia. The last few days she had to work on stuff that was really, really important to the whole country. She takes care of _everyone_. Today, I need your help to take care of _her_. Can you help me do that?" When he nodded a bit more enthusiastically, Gibbs let out a sigh of relief. He nodded tightly. "Good. Let's bring her breakfast." With that, they stood up. Gibbs walked into the kitchen, grabbed the tray as carefully as he could with a squirmy Julia snuggled against him, and headed to their bedroom with Sam on his heels.

Outside their door, he nodded for Sam to open it wider. Jenny was facedown in her pillow, and Mikey could be seen sucking on her earlobe.

Sam laughed as he climbed on the bed to try to catch the cat. "Mikey!" The family pet put up with the young boy for about two seconds before jumping down and running out the door.

Jenny rolled over and snagged Sam in her arms, tickling him until he burst into fits of laughter.

"Stop it, Gummy. Stop it," he cried out through his giggles.

She stopped when she noticed her husband holding a tray. Her eyes widened. "What did I do to deserve the royal treatment?"

Gibbs raised his eyebrows and smiled. Just as he was about to place the tray down on the bed, Julia saw Jenny and took that moment to become completely unruly and flail about trying to reach for her. She made her dad lose his balance and the tray, along with everything on it, spilled on top of Jenny and Sam. Both tried their best to jump out of the way but they weren't successful. Luckily, with all the delays, nothing was still hot but it made a giant mess. Sam thought it was hilarious and tried to juggle the pancakes. Gibbs felt horrible, and Jenny felt badly for him.

"Damn it," he yelled. "I wanted it to be perfect for you."

"Jethro, what's going on?" she asked, as she did her best to retrieve everything and place it back on the tray. She found the syrup-drenched card and looked up at him questioningly. He motioned for her to open it. She was grateful the card itself wasn't damaged and saw the "Happy Mother's Day" immediately. Her mouth dropped open. "That's _today_?" she asked. He nodded. She opened the card and saw he had written in his own handwriting, which she decided not to read out loud: _To the best mommy in the whole world, we love you… _And it was signed "Julia and Sam" in one corner and in another it said: _Everything… Jethro. _She looked up at him, trying to say with her eyes how much it meant to her.

"Gift," he said nodding towards the upside down box by her thigh.

"The card would have been enough," she smiled. "Sam, want to help me open this?" He nodded and quickly ripped at the wrapping. "How about lifting the lid?" He did and smiled at the little charm that was sitting on a sea of cotton.

"Is that a soccer ball?" he asked.

Jenny couldn't stop smiling. "I think it is, and you know what? I think that's supposed to represent you," she said as she pressed her finger into his chest teasingly. She glanced up at her husband. "It's perfect. Now everyone is symbolized on my charm bracelet."

Gibbs looked at the mess they were sitting in. "Let me grab everything and take it to the laundry room. Could I leave you two to clean up yourselves while I remake your breakfast?"

Jenny nodded and mouthed 'thank you.'

He placed Julia under her floor gym and then grabbed the tray and soiled bedding before heading out the door.

After he left, Jenny turned to Sam. "You okay, monkey?" she asked as she ran her fingers through his hair.

His mood darkened a bit as he shrugged.

She narrowed her eyes. "What is it? I feel like something has been bothering you for a couple of days now." She could tell he seemed conflicted so she lifted him up onto her lap. "I'm sorry I haven't been around much. Is that it? You know there's no place I'd rather be than with you, Daddy and Julia, right?" He nodded. "Then what is it? You know you can tell me anything. I love you."

He looked up into her eyes, his own getting a little watery. "Everyone at school laugh at me. I cry a lot. No more school."

Jenny was shocked. "What do you mean? What happened? Why would they laugh at you?"

It was hard to get out so he said it quickly and by the end it was all he could do to finish through his tears. "Gibbs an Abby say it was Gummy's Gay, but at school they say Mother's Gay. I say they wrong, that it was Gummy's Gay and everyone laugh at me. I cry," he cried out before bursting into tears and burying his head in her chest.

Jenny's breathing became harsh as sadness on his behalf overwhelmed her. She hugged him tightly against her, rubbing his back. "It's okay, Sam," she whispered, kissing his head. "I'm so sorry you went through that but don't you worry. _I'm_ taking you to school tomorrow, and no one will be laughing - believe me."


	51. Chapter 51

A/N: Hope this was worth the buildup. And I made a Sunday deadline two weeks in a row. Wow. Thanks for the reviews and continuing to read this – you guys are the best! And special thanks to OrtonsMistress for stepping in with beta duties!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Once she and Sam were cleaned up, Jenny grabbed Julia and the threesome headed downstairs to join Gibbs in the kitchen.

When he saw them, he immediately began the pancakes – the bacon was already done. He looked at them and could tell something was different. For one thing, Sam was holding onto Jenny's hand tightly.

"Do you want to stay in here with us while we have breakfast, or do you want to take Simon into the other room to watch cartoons?" she asked quietly.

"Can I watch TV?" He looked a bit nervous. When she smiled reassuringly at him and nodded, he took off.

Gibbs smiled to himself. It wasn't too long ago that Jenny would have looked to him for an answer, feeling these were his decisions to be making. But that seemed like a lifetime ago now.

The redhead turned her attention to the baby, showering her face with kisses before she carefully placed her in the swing.

Gibbs watched as she smiled at the baby. But that smile disappeared when she turned around to face his direction. She placed her hands on the island and let her head drop.

He narrowed his eyes at her before his attention shifted to flipping the pancakes. "You okay?"

She raised her head, her eyes locking with his. "No."

Something about her tone and the look she shot him made him freeze on the spot. He waited, assuming she'd explain.

She didn't disappoint. "When were you going to tell me?"

Gibbs swallowed carefully. "Tell you…" he asked in a leading manner. He didn't want to assume.

"About what happened at school? Did his class really laugh at him?" She quickly turned around to make sure he wasn't listening, realizing her anger was making her voice carry. After seeing her husband nod, she whispered viciously, "What the hell is wrong with that school - the teacher? Why didn't someone protect him?"

He put up his finger, asking her to wait while he removed the pancakes. This action only served to anger her more. When he was done, he turned off the stove and walked towards her. "My fault. I should have warned his teacher that we were calling it Gummy's Day."

Jenny could tell he was beating himself up, and it deflated her anger – but only a little bit. "You tried. But why didn't you tell me?! This happened on Friday! Why am I just now hearing about it – and not from you?!"

He saw the pain in her eyes, but he felt he did the right thing. "When, Jen? When you were in MTAC? You didn't even come home Friday."

"Jethro," she whispered in a deadly tone, obviously not accepting his reasons.

Gibbs shook his head. "No! It was a judgment call. Besides, he wasn't ready to accept comfort from you. Remember his attitude in your office?"

Her eyes flared at him. "You mean when I asked you what was going on with him?" She saw his irritation. "And if our roles were reversed, and I kept this from you?"

He set his jaw as he looked harshly at her, not wanting to acknowledge the truth in her words. "I handled it. Let it go," he said as he turned to plate the bacon with the pancakes and hand it to her along with a fork. "Eat."

She took it from him, but she no longer had much of an appetite. "How?"

He grabbed his coffee and backed away from her, leaning against the counter. "How… what?"

"How did you handle it? What'd you do?" she asked pointedly.

Now she was really beginning to piss him off. "You don't trust me?"

She shook her head, annoyed. "Of course I trust you. I'm curious. What's the big deal with my asking?"

"I yelled at the principal and asked how they could be so insensitive when they knew he just lost his mother."

She nodded. "Did you deal with the teacher?"

Gibbs mistook her thoroughness for disapproval. "No," he bit back angrily. He looked at his watch. "Sam, go get dressed," he yelled, wanting to be heard over the TV. "It's almost time to go."

Jenny looked at him with confusion. "Where are you taking him _today_?"

The implication that she was displeased to not be spending the whole day with both her kids wasn't lost on him. "To see Vivienne." He tossed his mug haphazardly into the sink before he headed off to collect Sam and get ready, leaving Jenny alone with Julia.

"That's just great," she muttered under her breath as she shook her head. She rescued her daughter from the swing and lifted her onto her hip. "Come on, Julia. Let's go outside for some fresh air and sit on the swing together," she said softly, trying to keep her voice steady. Once they were settled, Julia was getting antsy and a frustrated Jenny was trying to not get emotional. Here it was, her first Mother's Day and it was not turning out at all like she thought. She looked at her daughter and realized maybe the baby was acting like this because she was hungry. She attempted to feed her, and that seemed to do the trick. Jenny leaned her head back and tried not to cry.

Several minutes later, Gibbs walked back into the kitchen and noticed that the plate of food was untouched. It made him cringe with discomfort, knowing he had upset her on today of all days. He looked around and saw that both she and Julia were nowhere to be found. "Jen?" With no answer, he looked out front, relieved to see her car was still there. He then went to the backdoor and saw them sitting on the swing. "Sam, I'll be in the backyard. Come get me when you're ready."

Jenny stiffened when she heard the door open. She concentrated on the baby in her arms - not wanting to let whatever he had to say upset her more. She tensed even more when she felt his hands massaging her shoulders.

Gibbs felt horrible. She never tensed up when he kneaded her muscles. "Do you want me to stop? I don't want to make things worse."

She relaxed a bit and shook her head. "No, it feels good, thank you. I was just taken by surprise is all." She let her head fall forward to give him more access. Her hair was already up in a ponytail – a necessity around her daughter since yanking it seemed to be her favorite activity.

"Aw, Jenny, I didn't mean to upset you. I really was trying to handle things so you could concentrate on your job."

She closed her eyes and sighed. "I know. But I told you these kids come first. You come first. Please – don't do that again."

He stopped the massage and walked in front of her and crouched down, resting his hands on her knees. "No matter what?"

She nodded. "So what's the plan? Want me to take something out for dinner while you two are gone?"

He looked at her with a bit of trepidation. "Actually, I've invited the team, along with Ducky and Abby, for a barbecue tonight. They wanted to help you celebrate."

Jenny tried to not look disappointed, but she wasn't exactly in the mood to play hostess.

As if reading her mind, Gibbs held up his hands. "It's all handled – you don't have to lift a finger. It's your day. Why not take a relaxing bath after you put Jules down for a nap?"

She handed him Julia while she put herself back together. "Maybe I will."

He immediately stood up to burp her and saw Sam staring at them through the screen door. He motioned for the boy to come out. "We won't be too long," he said as he kissed his daughter's head and handed her back to her mother. "I really am sorry. I wanted this day to be perfect for you, and it's been horrible."

Without answering, Jenny bent down on one knee to get eye level with Sam. "Can I see the picture you made for your mommy?" He showed it off proudly. "You are such a good artist, monkey." She drew him into a hug and kissed the side of his head. "See you soon. I love you."

The boy nodded. "Love you too, Gummy. Bye Yulie," he added, patting her on the head.

"That was very nice of you, Sam," Jenny boasted proudly. She stood up and snaked her free arm around her husband's waist. "The day is looking up," she whispered before adding, "I love you." She kissed him gently on the lips.

A couple of hours later, Jenny had taken her husband's advice and was enjoying relaxing in the tub. She had soft music playing and a few aromatherapy candles lit. It wasn't long before she heard a soft knock on the door. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," she allowed, keeping her eyes closed. "How'd it go with Sam?"

He moved the stool so he could sit next to her. "I'm not sure he fully understands, but I think it helped. He went down for his nap pretty easy. I think he was wiped out."

"They're napping at the same time?" she smiled. Without even opening her eyes, she could feel his raking over her. "Like what you see?"

He grunted. "Ya think? I've barely seen you the last couple of days."

Finally she opened her eyes and smiled to see him shifting around uncomfortably. She sat up and moved closer to him. "Hi."

He leaned towards her. "Hi yourself." He watched as she sat up on her knees, the water dripping down her body. Gibbs swallowed heavily before he took off his two shirts. He held his breath as she ran her fingers through his chest hair. He returned the favor, his hands caressing her breasts before he allowed his mouth to follow suit.

Her fingers threaded into his hair as she eagerly watched him. "Your pants look like they must be causing you pain," she teased, her eyes focused on his excitement.

"Your fault," he managed to say as he jumped from one breast to the other.

Jenny maneuvered him so she could unbuckle his jeans and reach her hand down inside. She was rewarded for her effort when she heard him moan.

"God Jen." He quickly removed her hand - afraid he was wound too tight to take much more. "Bed or right here?"

She contemplated the interesting position doing it there would provide but she then considered his knees. "Bed," she said throatily as she grabbed a towel and quickly dried herself off.

He removed his jeans and went to lock their bedroom door. When he turned around, she was kneeling on the bed waiting for him. "This _is_ makeup sex, right?"

She tried not to laugh. "Just shut up and get over here."

A few hours later, their company started to arrive. Jenny was wearing tan pants and a green frilly blouse, while Gibbs was in jeans and a Marines T-shirt since he knew it'd be hot manning the grill. Julia was in a little red sundress, and Sam had on his jeans and insisted on wearing his new NCIS T-shirt for the gathered group. He was off in a corner telling Tony all about his day while Abby and Ziva took over setting up the table in the backyard. McGee dropped off all kinds of drinks in the cooler, and Ducky brought a wonderful apple pie he was able to secure from everyone's favorite bakery.

Abby tried to appear casual as she walked over to see Gibbs while she carried Julia. She admired the burgers on the grill before turning her full attention to the chef. "Where's the gift, Gibbs? Can we give it to her now? Cause I don't know how long I can wait and you know I've been dying to give it to her and it will really surprise her, don't you think?"

He laughed. "Slow down, Abs. It's your gift – you can do it when you want. You sure you don't want to wait until dessert though?" She gave him an eager look, and it made him laugh again. "I moved it to the hall closet."

"Yay! Your daddy is the greatest, Miss Julia," she said, showering the baby with so many kisses it made her squeal.

"Abs," he shouted, making her stop and turn around. "You may want to hand off the princess before you…"

She smiled broadly and nodded. "Good thinking, el Jefe." Ducky perked up when he heard that and immediately offered his services.

"Ah, Princess Julia. You come here to Sir Ducky right this second," he said, smiling.

Gibbs shook his head, amused, as he took another sip of his beer.

Abby looked around for Jenny and not seeing her, she ran inside and retrieved the gift. She brought it outside and hid it behind the shed, out of sight. She then looked at Sam who was walking by. "Hey buddy, do you know where Jenny went?"

He shrugged. "I can get her." When Abby smiled at him, he puffed out his chest proudly. He walked inside and immediately headed towards their bedroom. "Gummy!" The bathroom light was on, so he headed that direction.

"I'll be out in a minute – oh, hi Sam," she said, trying not to sound or look upset that her privacy had been breached. She saw the boy looking down at her, his mouth hanging open.

He looked at her, his eyes wide. "Where's your ungerwear?"

Now it was Jenny's turn to have her mouth hanging open. "Uh…"

Outside, everyone was seated at the table, the food now ready. Sam came walking out.

Abby perked up. "Did you find Jenny?"

He nodded and looked at her earnestly before he revealed, "Gummy wears ungerwear… _sometimes_."

Gibbs closed his eyes and sighed, scrubbing his hand down his face. Abby's eyes bugged out. She tried to keep a smile from breaking out on her face when she exchanged a knowing look with Ziva. Ducky was the first to release a quiet chuckle while McGee did his best to not look at anyone for fear of laughing. Tony looked at Sam, his grin uncontrollable as he said, "I bet she does, buddy. Thanks for the intel."

"So, what'd I miss?" Jenny noticed everyone's eyes turn to look at her – and then burst out laughing. She looked questioningly at her husband.

He turned his back to everyone and held her arm. "Apparently, you wear underwear… _sometimes_."

She looked at him and sighed, resigned to her fate. "Remind me to lock the bathroom door next time."

"Ya think?" he said smiling as she took a seat at the table. "OK, let's eat." Gibbs noticed Abby's pointed look. "Wait – someone wants to say something."

The Goth stood up and looked right at Jenny. "Well, we wanted to do something really special for you for Mother's Day. I mean, I know you're too young to be our mom but…"

"_Much_ too young," Jenny interjected, smiling at her friend.

"Well yeah, duh," laughed Abby. "But we all know what you guys have been through, and we just want you to know how much you mean to all of us."

"Thank you, that is very sweet," offered Jenny, truly touched.

"No, wait! My speech isn't your gift! This is," she said as she walked over to the shed to retrieve the rather large giftwrapped picture frame. "Happy Mother's Day!"

Jenny's eyes widened. "Wow. Guys, you didn't have to do anything."

"Can I help you open it, Gummy?"

The redhead smiled. "I would love it if you would, Sam." She watched proudly as he ripped the paper off to reveal the artwork. She balanced it on her lap so she could get a good look. It said, "We love you, Mommy!" painted across the top and below that the space was divided in two. On one side was a drawing of Sam and on the other side one of Julia. Underneath his picture, Sam had blue handprints and footprints while Julia's were under her picture in pink. Then each one was made into an animal. "It's just like how we decorated your room, monkey!" she said, kissing him on his head. Jenny looked from Abby to each person sitting there, completely overwhelmed. "So this was the secret project?"

Gibbs nodded. "And you had to try and ruin it."

Sam pulled on Jenny's blouse. "It's for your office, so we are always with you."

Abby was beaming with pride when she saw that Jenny had tears forming. "If you want it there."

Jenny tried to find her voice. "Oh I want," she said softly, obviously deeply moved.

"And everyone here played a part," added Abby. "Whether it was Tony drawing their pictures, the others decorating a hand each… a project filled with love."

"I really can't believe you all did this for me." Jenny tried to wipe her eyes as she looked at Jethro. "This turned out to be an amazing Mother's Day."


	52. Chapter 52

A/N: Thanks for your patience. Real life just keeps getting in the way. Thank you to everyone still reading and leaving reviews. I hope you know how much I appreciate it!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

It was early Monday morning. Even though she was able to sleep in since she was taking Sam to school, Jenny found herself wide-awake at 0430. Mother's Day had been a rollercoaster of emotions, culminating in great sex with her husband despite being utterly exhausted. Now she was wired by thoughts of her upcoming confrontation. She hadn't confided her agenda to Gibbs, not wanting him to talk her out of it. But she was incensed and determined to make sure nothing so traumatizing would happen again in a place where Sam was supposed to feel safe and nurtured. It had broken her heart when he recounted what happened and exclaimed his intention to not return. She knew what she had to do and having to wait until she could – well, patience was never one of her strongest virtues.

She tried to keep her restlessness at bay, not wanting to wake up the marine she had stashed in her bed. Her thoughts amused her as she watched him sleep – the moonlight barely making that possible. She felt a presence in the room and wasn't surprised to find Sam staring at her. She placed her finger to her lips before she slipped out of bed, taking his hand as they walked back to his room. "What's going on, monkey?" she asked as she lifted him onto her lap.

"Scary gream, Gummy." He leaned his head down against her chest as she rubbed his back.

"I'm so sorry to hear that. Do you want to talk about it?" He shook his head lightly as she threaded her fingers into his hair, trying to soothe him. "OK. Do you want to try going back to sleep? Or do you want me to just hold you like this for a little while?"

"Like this," he mumbled, already nearing sleep.

Jenny smiled as she held him close and kissed the top of his head. "I love you, sweet boy. I love you so much," she whispered.

"I know," he whispered back, a faint smile on his face.

Later that morning, Gibbs took Julia into work for Jenny so she could concentrate on dealing with Sam's situation. She purposely arrived early so she could have a word alone with the teacher. She spotted the young woman. "Miss Evelyn?" The younger woman nodded. "Can we have a word with you in private?"

The woman tensed up but nodded her head and led them into the back room where she kept the supplies. "Hi, Sam."

He pouted before he went to hide behind Jenny's leg. "Hi Miss Evelyn," he said quietly.

"We're having a bit of an issue after what happened on Friday," began Jenny. "Sam was a little nervous about coming in today."

"Oh no," she exclaimed as she bent down on one knee to get eye-level with the boy. "I'm sorry about what happened."

Jenny put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed, trying to comfort the boy. "Can you tell me what you witnessed?"

Evelyn looked up at the older woman with trepidation as she stood back up. "I wanted to help the kids make a project for their moms for Mother's Day."

"That's very sweet of you," acknowledged Jenny. "Did you remember he had just lost his mom? Did you give any thought to what he might be going through because of that?"

The teacher could see the other woman was trying to control her anger, and it made her even more nervous. "I… I'm so sorry. It had slipped my mind. And I didn't understand what he meant by Gummy's Day."

Jenny sighed. "That is what he calls me. My husband had come up with Gummy's Day as a way to not upset him. Reminders of her often sadden him as you saw."

She looked at Sam and grimaced. "I wish I had known."

"But how could you not stop the other kids from laughing at him!? Surely you had to see that was traumatizing him!"

Evelyn was a little put off by Jenny's escalating irritation. "Are you sure you don't want to have this conversation in private?" she asked, motioning to Sam.

Jenny's eyes flared with even more anger. "Absolutely not!" she insisted, reaching down to pick Sam up in her arms. "My son needs to see that I'm willing to stick up for and protect him. I want him to see that I will do everything in my power to make him feel safe, and I'm appalled that his school doesn't operate under those same guidelines. Why didn't you step in? Why didn't you stop those kids from laughing?"

Sam held on tightly to Jenny as he turned to watch his teacher's reaction.

"I'm so sorry. You're right. I think I was too stunned by what happened. But I should have. I can promise you both that if there is a next time, I will do just that. Please know that he's safe with me." She turned her eyes to Sam. "I am so sorry, Sam. Can you forgive me? Will you come back to class?"

He looked at Jenny and saw her encouraging smile.

Jenny kissed his forehead. "If anything happens, Sam, you can ask them to call me or your dad, okay?"

He nodded. "Okay. I'll try," he managed.

The teacher smiled. "I'm so glad to hear that. I have to get back into the classroom to finish getting ready. Thank you for speaking with me, and I'm glad we were able to work this out."

Jenny smiled and nodded as the young woman quickly slipped past them out of the room. "Are you really okay with it all, Sam?"

He nodded before he threw his arms around her neck to hug her. "I love you, Mommy," he said without even thinking but then stiffened when he realized what he said.

Jenny closed her eyes and smiled, hugging him tightly to her. She pulled back to look at him and saw the shocked expression on his face. "It's okay. Honest. Don't feel bad, all right? You can call me Mommy _anytime_. I loved hearing you say that," she said, trying to smile reassuringly. "It doesn't mean you love your mom any less. I know that." She watched him carefully but couldn't read his expression.

"Let me gown, Gummy."

She nodded and kneeled down to let him out of her arms. But before she let him go, Jenny held him in front of her, smoothed his hair out with her fingers and caressed his face. "You going to be okay, sweet boy?"

He managed a small smile and nodded. "I'm big boy brave."

Jenny was beaming. "I know you are. Be good for Miss Evelyn and Noemi later, okay?"

Sam nodded and scampered off.

Jenny stayed where she was for a moment and took a deep breath, completely overwhelmed by what had just happened. "Wow."

Firmly ensconced on Cloud Nine, Jenny headed into the bullpen, hoping to find her husband. She spotted Jethro and motioned for him to follow her to the elevator. Once inside, she flipped the switch and told him about what transpired earlier. His eyes widened as a smile crept across his lips. "What about after? Did he freak out that he'd said that?"

"A little," she admitted. "But I can't even begin to tell you how it made me feel," she said, completely astounded.

He took her in his arms, holding her tightly against him. "I bet."

She leaned back to look at him. "I wanted you to know. But I need to go play catch up now. I'll send you your new probie shortly. I think they're waiting in my office."

"Your Mother's Day present has been hung up," he said smugly. "I'm a full service operation."

Jenny smiled from ear-to-ear. "Can't wait to see it." She kissed him on the lips before she exited the elevator. She watched as the doors, with him still inside, closed behind her. She walked into Cynthia's office area and smiled at her trusted assistant as she took what she had to hand her. "Did you see my present?"

Cynthia smiled. "I sure did. Looks like someone had a pretty great Mother's Day."

Jenny nodded. "The best. So where are the probationary agents?"

The younger woman reached for the ringing phone. "In the conference room, whenever you're ready."

"Thank you," she said before walking into her office. She stopped short upon seeing her present hanging over the couch.

Mildred saw her and nodded approval. "That is an amazing gift."

"Isn't it? Can't be in a bad mood when I see that. Or when I see the munchkin!" she exclaimed, dropping her stuff on the desk before she headed over to scoop her daughter up into her arms. "Who is the most loved baby girl on the planet?" she asked, holding a smiling Julia over her head before she showered her with kisses. "Let me send the new agents to their assignments and then I'll come back and feed you. Is that okay, Miss Julia?" she asked, snuggling her daughter to her. "I'll be right back, Mildred," she said, handing the baby off.

Jenny gave all of the probationary agents their assignments, with the last one being for Jethro's team. She looked at Agent Julie Truelove's file and closed it so she could concentrate on the young brunette. "You're working with the Major Case Response Team this week. Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs is the lead."

"He's your husband, right?"

Jenny smiled. "Yes, but feel free to hide the fact that you know that. It may create amusement for you along the way."

The agent smiled. "Interesting."

The director placed a call, asking for Gibbs to come upstairs to meet his newest team member. When he arrived, he remained his usual gruff self. "We just caught a case. Marine was found murdered at an Internet Café."

Jenny raised her eyebrows. "Interesting. Agent Truelove, you're in good hands. Use this time wisely."

The younger woman smiled. "I will, ma'am. Thank you for this opportunity."

"You earned it," she insisted. Jenny exchanged a smile with her husband before she watched them go.

Once in the bullpen, Gibbs motioned to the cube Julie would be using and then introduced her to the team.

"Truelove? For real?" joked Tony.

The young woman rolled her eyes, obviously used to hearing comments about her last name. "Yes."

The very special agent snorted.

"I think it's neat," managed Tim, a bit overwhelmed by the new recruit. He found her very attractive and was trying not to be too tongue-tied around her.

"Thank you, Agent McGee," smiled Julie.

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Gear up."

Later that evening, Gibbs was entertaining Julia while Jenny was giving Sam his bath. He held the 5-month-old in his arms as they stood outside, enjoying the night air.

"I can't believe how big you're getting, Jules," he said lovingly as he kissed her on top of her head. "We haven't had one of our heart-to-hearts in a while." He smiled as she stared at him, enthralled by the sound of his voice. "Do you have any idea how much your mom and I love you?" The baby smiled, and it warmed his heart. "You really are magic, you know that? There isn't anything in this world that isn't made better just by looking at you."

With Sam getting into his pajamas, Jenny stood by the open screen door, watching her husband dote on their baby girl. It filled her heart with such love.

Gibbs caressed his daughter's head. "You were so worth the wait, Jules."

"She sure was," added Jenny as she stepped outside. "It's time for bed and her last feeding."

He smiled as he handed the baby over to her. "Sam picking out a book?" She nodded. "Good," he sighed as he placed an arm around his wife. "I still can't get over that this is our life now. I'm almost scared to say how happy I am."

Jenny understood. "We are so lucky. But we earned this. Both of us."

Gibbs knew she was right. He followed her to the nursery, where Sam joined them. Jenny opened her blouse, allowing Julia to latch on. She then motioned for Sam to climb up onto her lap. She was grateful that the "slipup" of him calling her 'Mommy' earlier hadn't caused him to avoid her now. Instead, he clung to her even more, ready to hear his nightly story. He held the book open, eager to do his part as Jenny embodied the characters of the story, animating the tale to his delight while Julia continued to nurse.

Jethro watched the scene before him unfold – his family. He always knew Jenny would be an incredible mother. Sam obviously adored her, and for that he was incredibly grateful. Julia was such an easy, happy baby that he felt tremendous gratitude. He took a deep breath, realizing Jenny was right – they _had _earned the joy they now had in their lives. Yet he always worried when the other shoe would drop, and that fact made it hard for him to enjoy most moments. But looking at the sheer joy in his wife's eyes as she looked into the little faces of their kids, he realized he needed to draw on her strength, her faith – that they deserved every ounce of happiness they were experiencing. He needed to live in the moment. Because in the end, _right now_ is all anyone has.


	53. Chapter 53

A/N: I'm very sorry for the long delay with this chapter. It didn't want to get written. A shout-out to Dolphtat on this one. I'm finding inspiration hard to come by these days so feedback, reviews, a kick in the pants… it's all appreciated. This story has a little bit longer and then it will be ending. I will then be sticking to one shots – both in the future and from the past.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Ziva was happy. Because they were waiting on a warrant from a judge who was taking his sweet time, she was able to steal away for a quick lunch off campus with the Director of NCIS. The two old friends and former partners picked at their Mediterranean food as they gossiped in hushed voices.

"How's Agent Truelove coming along? Is she driving Gibbs crazy yet?"

Ziva shook her head emphatically. "She is very good. His only issue with her is that she may be showing too much initiative, running off to check things out. But," she began before swallowing another bite of her falafel-filled pita, "I suspect that could be Tony's fault."

The redhead shot her cohort a look. "Really? Why?"

Ziva snorted, gesticulating with her hands as she finished chewing. "Because he loves hearing Gibbs scream as he is looking for her, 'Truelove! Truelove!' It amuses Tony every time."

Jenny laughed so hard she started to tear up. "Oh to see that," she said, dabbing away at the moisture around her eyes.

The Israeli smiled. "You seem happy. Things are good with Sam and Julia, yes?"

She couldn't stop smiling. "Very good."

"Motherhood obviously agrees with you. I do not think I have ever seen you so happy, except maybe on your wedding day."

Jenny closed her eyes briefly, letting the memory wash over her. "That was an incredible time, for sure. But we're in a really good place now, and it keeps getting better and better." She quickly knocked on wood. "Hope it stays that way."

Ziva nodded. "It will. You two deserve good times."

Jenny studied her friend. "And what about you? We really haven't talked about Eli's visit, at least – not in any depth. I hope you've forgiven me, but I felt it was too important an opportunity."

The younger woman watched as her friend picked the lamb out of her gyro. "I was a bit upset at first, but I do understand why you felt the need to meddle."

Jenny almost choked on her water. "Meddle? You make me sound like a yenta."

Ziva raised her eyebrows.

The director rolled her eyes. "Fine, I suppose it _was_ yenta-like behavior. But only because I care so much."

"That is something my Bubbie would say."

Jenny put her fork down and narrowed her eyes. "I draw the line at being compared to your grandmother."

"Grandmother?!"

Both women turned to the origin of the male voice even though they knew the owner immediately.

Jenny was indignant. "Ziva was just comparing me to her grandmother, if you can believe that," she said before giving her husband a quick kiss.

Gibbs pulled a chair over to join them. He looked his wife up and down and smirked. "I'm guessing it's not because of the way you dress." He leaned over to kiss her again and frowned when she playfully pushed his face away.

Ziva held her ground. "Your wife was breaking Rule 6." She saw his confusion. "Setting me up to see my father."

He nodded. "Ah."

Jenny leaned over to him. "I did _not_ break Rule 6. I asked if she'd forgiven me. There's a difference."

The corners of his lips turned upward as he looked at Ziva. "Have you?"

She sighed. "Well, I do know that her heart was in the right place even it was highly inappropriate for a boss to do."

"First, I'm sitting right here." Jenny saw her husband eyeing her food, so she handed him her fork and pushed her plate over. "Second, I didn't do it as your boss, but as someone who has shared many a Shabbat dinner with you two. And we both know the toll the estrangement has had on you."

Gibbs watched the two women carefully. He appreciated any chance where he was able to learn a bit more about their time together. "What did happen after I left you with Eli, Ziver?"

She sat back in her chair and sighed. "He admitted to being jealous of you, Gibbs. He knows I see you as a father figure, but he also is grateful that you have been there for me. Jenny trusts you, so he… accepts it."

He looked at her, realizing she was holding something back. "What else?"

Ziva locked eyes with him. "He knew I was the one who killed Ari. We took a moment, mourned the boy he once was."

Gibbs grunted, obviously still disturbed by the monster he became.

Jenny reached over and squeezed her hand. "How'd that make you feel?"

She sighed. "It was hard. I realized that I still blame him for a lot of things. But he seemed older, like his choices have cost a toll."

"Had a toll, Ziva," corrected Jenny.

She looked confused. "But when I drive to the airport, I have to pay a toll. A toll costs."

Gibbs ignored their semantic struggle. "Does that mean you forgive him? You just needed to know he was suffering?"

"It was… easier to be mad when I thought my father was being ruthless and feeling no..." she looked like she was struggling to figure out the right word.

Jenny prodded, "Repercussions?"

"Pain?" asked Gibbs.

"Guilt!" she shouted, relieved to have placed the word herself. Ziva took a deep breath and fell back against her seat. "He feels guilt. He said, 'Heavy is the head who wears the crown,' which I did not quite understand."

Jenny nodded and sighed. "When you get to the position that we're both at, sometimes you have to make decisions that hurt others or seem unfair. But so many more factors are at play, are being considered, that those on the outside don't know – that they couldn't possibly know. We get top-secret intelligence briefings, advice from those above us but in the end – we have to make a decision and then live with the consequences. I think Eli meant something along those lines. I imagine Ari's actions left him with very little choice, and you with an even more horrible one. I think about what I would do if it were me – between Sam and Julia. And then I realize I can't even wrap my head around that."

Gibbs reached over to squeeze her hand in comfort. "Don't."

Ziva looked at them both and nodded – feeling like she had a better understanding of her father. "I can not say that things will ever be back to normal, but at least I do not dread his phone calls… as much."

The director smiled. "Does this mean I'm forgiven?"

The Israeli narrowed her eyes. "Yes, Grandma."

When Gibbs snorted, Jenny shot them both a dirty look.

Later that afternoon, the team returned to the bullpen after having served the warrant. They put their gear down as Gibbs looked over at Agent Truelove. "Good work today."

Tony's eyes widened. "What the? You just complimented her? Since when are you nice to probies?!"

Fearing what was about to come next, Ziva and Tim quickly busied themselves with their computers.

Gibbs turned to glare at the younger man. "Excuse me?" he asked pointedly. Tony gulped, realizing his mistake. "_You_ never showed up a senior field agent."

Tony laughed uncomfortably as Gibbs headed to the elevator. "She didn't show me up! It's not my fault I was sent to search the wrong room!" He turned to look at his coworkers, who simply shook their heads at him. He glanced at Julie. "I think Gibbs has a crush on you."

Tim and Ziva both stopped what they were doing and let their mouths hang open at Tony's words.

He shrugged. "You have a better excuse as to why he doesn't give her grunt duty, let's her actually participate in the field? Ziva – how long was it before you were allowed to actually try to help on a case? He made you watch forever!"

Not wanting to be a part of this, Julie left for the break room.

Ziva stood up and walked over to him. "Do you even hear yourself? How can you put that thought in her head?"

Tony smiled from ear to ear. "Maybe she'll do something stupid like make a pass at him."

McGee was incredulous. "You're not in college, Tony. Stop the hazing. And what makes you think she'd be that stupid – or interested even?"

"Oh come on, McBoy Scout. Why would she settle for you when she could grab for the power of the big man."

Ziva shook her head and returned to her seat. "You are obviously as stupid as you look."

Tony shot Tim a look when he laughed. "Sure, call me names now but I'm telling you – he has a soft spot for her, and it's not my fault if you are all too blind to see it."

Observing - and unnoticed - on the catwalk, Jenny took a deep breath and headed back to her office.

Later that night, after the kids went to sleep, Jenny put on a silky negligee and went down to the basement to join her husband. He had finally finished setting up the frame for the new boat he wanted to work on and was now in sanding mode. All sweaty in his T-shirt and jeans, he looked up when he heard her footsteps. He smiled as he drank in her appearance. "Hubba hubba."

She laughed as she placed the baby monitor on the workbench. "Glad I can still get that reaction from you."

Gibbs looked at her funny. "Still? Have you ever not?" He pulled her to him and leaned her back against the rib of the boat.

"Tony seems to think you have a thing for our young Agent Truelove."

He started to laugh, thinking she was joking – but quickly realized that she wasn't. "He said _that_?! To you?"

"Not to me. The team. Apparently, you've been showing her unusual attention."

He sighed and backed away from her, headed for the bourbon.

Concerned by his behavior, Jenny followed him. "What is it?"

He turned to look at her. "She's good, Jen. Damn good. Reminds me a bit too much of another young agent I once worked with."

Jenny searched his eyes, trying to see if there was more to it. "Should I be worried?"

He scoffed. "Only if you don't want to nurture a future you." He saw the apprehension in her eyes. "Damn it, Jen. She reminds me of you and practically has our daughter's name. Maybe those two things have made me go a bit easy on her, but she _is_ impressive." He pushed her back against the boat, and his hands slowly wandered over her body. "But I'm impressed by her talent. Nothing else. You, on the other hand," he whispered, desire overwhelming him as he started to kiss her neck. "You are _everything_. Tell me you know that."

Her back arched in line with the rib of the boat, her chest heaving up and down as his hands and lips drew out her excitement. "In my saner moments, I do know."

"Do you trust me?" he asked as his fingers lifted the negligee up her thighs, gently caressing along the way.

Her head moved back and forth as the stimulation wreaked havoc with her senses. "Yes," she said breathily, completely turned on by what he was doing to her.

His mouth moved from her neck downward. "I'm not sure I heard you," he teased.

She threaded her fingers in his hair. "Yes," she managed, a bit more insistent this time. "God, Jethro, how long are you going to make me wait for it? And if you mention pacing, I may have to bite you."

He laughed as he quickly took off his shirt and unzipped his jeans. "I like driving you crazy."

She pushed his jeans down and reached for him. His moaning made her smile. "Now who wants it?"

He lifted her up a bit against the boat before he entered her, her legs wrapping around him instantly. They moved fluidly, knowing what the other wanted, what the other needed. After a while, Jenny was whimpering, nearing the end. "God, I want to do other positions but I didn't lock the door on the way down. Just a bit… more… harder," she cried into his ear.

After one final thrust into her, he felt her shudder beneath him. It wasn't long before he joined her over the edge, burying his face into her shoulder. He held her in his arms, allowing her down so her feet could touch the floor.

She didn't want to lose his warmth and held him tightly against her.

"Still believe what Tony had to say?" he grunted.

Her eyes fluttered open as she licked her lips. "Tony who?"


	54. Chapter 54

A/N: I hope my American readers had an awesome Thanksgiving weekend. I'm grateful for all of you who are still reading. I'm sorry that my muse has been sketchy.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

After a brief visit to the hospital to visit with Steve, Sam and Jenny joined Gibbs and Julia for dinner. Once it was over, Gibbs took Sam down to the basement to work on the boat together while Jenny gave a fussy Julia her bath early in an attempt to calm her down. The two males worked silently for a while before the special agent decided to do some investigating. "How's school?"

The boy looked up from his sanding and shrugged.

"Any problems with those punks in your class bothering you?"

Sam shook his head.

The corners of his mouth turned upward. "Don't feel like talking?" When he got another shrug, Gibbs managed a small laugh, realizing he was probably being punished through his son for all the times his non-communicative style irked those around him. "I'm not usually a big talker either, so maybe you get that from me."

Sam narrowed his eyes. "Get it from you?"

Gibbs saw his confusion and knelt down beside him, relaxing his hands on the boy's small shoulders. "I'm your dad. Like Grandpa is my dad."

He nodded, trying to understand.

The older man continued. "People say we have similar eyes. I get them from him, and you got your eyes and your nose," he said, playfully poking him on it, "from me. I'm guessing you not wanting to talk much could be another thing you got from me."

Sam shrugged again, making his father chuckle. "You love me?"

Gibbs was a little surprised. He made sure his son was looking him in the eye before he nodded. "I love you… _very much_." He knew better than to ask him the same question back. He didn't want him to feel any pressure.

"But not like Yulie."

Gibbs was taken aback. It hadn't been a question. Sam was simply stating something he saw as fact. And while it was hard for Gibbs to admit to himself that he had felt that way in the beginning, he no longer did – and it broke his heart to think his son believed it. He cupped his tiny head in his large hands, forcing the boy to look up at him and see his sincerity. "Not true, Sam. You are both my kids. I love you just as much as your sister."

Tears came easily to the young boy's eyes. "Really?"

Gibbs immediately lifted him to his shoulder, cradling his head as he pressed a kiss to his temple. "Really," he choked out. When he finally was able to get control of his voice, he put the boy down and smiled, nodding toward the stairs. "Good job tonight. Why don't you go upstairs and get ready for bed."

Sam nodded before he turned around and headed upstairs.

Gibbs stood up to watch him go. Once he was out of sight, he scrubbed his hand down his face, overwhelmed. He decided he wanted to find something special of his to give to Sam. He wasn't sure exactly what he was looking for as he rummaged through the boxes he had stored in the basement. After the fourth box, he came across a bunch of old pictures. Bracing himself to see Shannon and Kelly again, he was surprised to see they were from his time in Europe with Jenny. He put them aside, intent on showing her later, and continued his search.

By the sixth box, he came across his old uniforms from the Marines. He pulled out the cap and smiled.

Jenny was helping Sam with his pajamas when she saw her husband breeze into the room, placing something on the boy's head even though it was way too big. "What's that?"

"From my time in the Marines."

She smiled from ear-to-ear at him before turning her attention to Sam. "Wow, you must be pretty special."

Sam took it off his head and looked at it in wide-eyed wonder. "Thank you," he said, beaming.

Jenny spoke as she finished buttoning up his pajama top. "What do you say we put that on your nightstand for now, and tomorrow you can take it with you to school for show-and-tell?"

He looked a little disappointed but he obliged her, placing it next to his bed. She lifted the covers, and he crawled inside. After reading to him, the two adults took turns kissing him on his forehead and wishing Sam goodnight. Jenny was already halfway to the nursery when Gibbs went to shut the light. He looked as his son and smiled when he saw him reach for the cap and bring it into bed with him.

Gibbs found Jenny staring at Julia in her crib.

"She's finally asleep," she whispered, turning off the mobile. "She had a rough day. I think she's cutting another tooth."

Gibbs looked in the crib and gently caressed her chubby little cheek with his knuckle, relishing the touch of her soft skin. "Goodnight, Jules. Daddy loves you," he whispered. He turned to see his wife watching him with a giant smile. He reached for her hand, threading his fingers with hers as they left quietly for their bedroom.

When they got there, he waited for her to notice the pictures. She didn't disappoint.

Her eyes widened. "Are these what I think they are?"

He nodded, quickly sitting next to her on the bed so he could see them too. He hadn't taken a peek before leaving them for her.

Jenny snuggled into his side as she looked at the pictures from Paris. The last one was of them atop the Eiffel Tower. "I remember when that woman took this for us. I didn't think we were that young at the time, but look at us! We're practically babies."

He growled. "Speak for yourself." She laughed, and it was music to his ears. "I took you there that night because you were pissed at me, right?"

She snorted. "Probably. I was pissed at you a lot. You treated me like crap. Between acting like I was just a stupid probie and your unbridled chauvinism, we spent whatever time we weren't having sex… fighting."

He smirked. "Sometimes we did both at the same time."

She looked at him sideways, before fluttering her eyelashes at him. "Those were some of the best times." Her mood suddenly darkened.

"What?"

She held the picture up to him. "This was also the night you took a bullet for me. I was so scared. I really thought you were going to die on me."

"Nah," he scoffed. "Can't get rid of me that easily."

She held his gaze, her heart beating faster. "I don't want to. I want you with me always."

The look between them was highly charged. He took the pictures without averting his eyes from hers and placed them on the nightstand. "I thought I loved you like crazy back then," he whispered throatily, lightly running his finger down her neck. "I had no idea."

She swallowed heavily, aroused by his words, his touch and the smell of him. Her memories of their affair, their time overseas, overwhelmed her. She managed to find her voice as she crawled onto his lap facing him. "Remember when we couldn't get enough of each other," she said as she kissed around his ear. "We were all hands, tongues… in the shower, on counters, tabletops, the beach…" She moaned when his hand ghosted up her spine under her blouse.

He fisted her hair, pulling her head back so he had a clear path to plant kisses along her throat. "Don't forget on balconies, in alleyways and the occasional secluded room at NCIS London." He felt her throat vibrate as she laughed.

She loved all of those amazing memories but she felt herself still feeling out of sorts after remembering those feelings she had after he'd been shot. She knew he could sense what she was thinking by the urgency in his kisses. He knew she needed to feel him intensely alive. "Jethro," she breathed out.

"Mmm?" he asked as he continued marking her shoulder with his lips.

"Don't just make love to me," she managed, threading her fingers into his hair. When he pulled back to look at her, she continued. "Don't look at me like I'm the mother of your children. I need you to fuck me… like you did back then. Make me _feel_ it."

He stared at her - realizing what she meant. She'd made a similar request once back then, though at least this time she wasn't asking him to hurt her. He knew how to soothe this particular ache she felt, her need to feel like they were both very much alive. He pulled her top over her head roughly, yanked her bra straps down and undid the clasp in one try. He kissed her mouth deeply, almost stealing her breath away as he rolled her over so she was beneath him. He quickly sat up and allowed her to remove his shirts with one action over his head. She then went to work removing his belt and unbuttoning his pants. He did the same for her, and it wasn't long before they were naked and their bodies entwined.

Jethro was more than happy to try to recapture the excitement they always felt when they were able to steal a moment together. Jenny held onto him for dear life, her breath catching in her throat as he teasingly brought her to the brink. Moaning her name in that sexy way she loved was all it took to send her over the edge. She cried his name, barely above a whisper but with an intensity that pierced his heart and caused him to join her. Exhausted, they held each other tightly as their breathing eventually evened out.

"God, I love you," she said, pressing a kiss to his sweaty chest.

"Uh uh," he said, pointing to his mouth. "Kiss here."

She wasn't sure how they could have just had the sex they did and then still kiss like they hadn't seen each other in years immediately after. But they did, and she loved every second of it.

The next morning, Cynthia raised her eyebrows when she saw her boss enter with Julia in tow. "Someone seems to be in a chipper mood."

"Thank my husband," Jenny smirked knowingly, before saying under her breath, "I know I did."

Cynthia cringed. "I still don't get it."

The director laughed as she headed into her office, unaware of the smile on her assistant's face. The younger woman knew it amused her boss to think she wasn't a fan of Gibbs but in truth, she could see how happy he made Jenny and she couldn't ask for more.

Gibbs and the team were out in the field, canvasing the area near where the Marine died at the Internet Café. Truelove and McGee were with Gibbs when they heard a child's shrieks from a nearby store. Before anyone could stop her, Julie ran towards the screaming. Cursing under his breath, Gibbs took off after her.

Jenny was in the middle of a mission in MTAC when her cell phone rang. She looked at the Caller ID and felt her stomach knot up, knowing it was usual for him to be calling her. She put her headset on mute and answered, keeping her voice even. "What's happened, DiNozzo?"

"We stumbled upon something unrelated to our dead Marine case – a domestic disturbance… hostage situation. Agent Truelove went charging in and got taken."

Jenny closed her eyes and sighed, a stinging sensation reaching her eyes since she had a feeling she knew what was coming next. "Gibbs went in after her, didn't he?" His silence was her answer. She looked at the screen and realized she couldn't fall apart – she had to do her job. "Cynthia," she called out, waving her phone. The assistant came running over. "Tell Cynthia everything you need coordinated on our end. I'll be there as soon possible."

Before Tony could argue, Jenny handed off the phone. She stood up and paced, doing what she could to force out of her mind imagined images of her husband in trouble. _Damn him_. Didn't he know his family needed him?

By the time her mission had successfully completed and Jenny was able to head back to her office, a response team was set up at the motel across the street. Cynthia was a few steps behind, trying to tell her boss something as they walked back to the office but the director was knee-deep in the tenth sitrep since Tony's initial call.

"Ma'am, wait a second," she called out in a futile attempt to get Jenny's attention.

The redhead was in a fiery mood, intent on getting things wrapped up as soon as possible so she could head over to mission control herself. She was in the middle of barking orders into the phone, trying to hold it together. "If you think for one second that I'm going to stay here when my husband has a gun to his head and could die at any moment, you've obviously lost your mind, Agent DiNozzo," she spat as she stormed into her office.

"Ma'am!" yelled Cynthia, her eyes wide.

Taken by surprise, Jenny turned her attention to the other woman and noticed the horrified look on her face. She followed her eyes to the couch in her office and saw the traumatized look on her son's face.

"Sam," she whispered, her breath catching in her throat. She had no idea he would be there and watched helplessly as his face crumbled into tears.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

A/N: My apologies; I realize I dropped more anvils than a Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote cartoon but oh well. ;) Subtle is not my middle name at the moment.


	55. Chapter 55

A/N: Figured it was done, why wait until Sunday since I was cruel and did a cliffhanger. A big thanks to Madame Alexandra's prequel trilogy, which is referenced a lot in this chapter. I want to thank everyone who is still reading; we're just about done. Thank you so much for all of the encouragement in your wonderful PMs and reviews. You guys have made the process of writing this trilogy an unbelievably rewarding one. You rock!

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Sam's tears had Jenny mentally kicking herself. If only she'd stopped to listen to what Cynthia was trying to tell her. "Call you back," was all she said to Tony before hanging up to tend to the boy. Her assistant quickly left while Mildred scooped up Julia and headed out, briefly touching Jenny's shoulder in a gesture of sympathy.

Grateful she was wearing pants, she knelt down so that she could look him in the eye before she spoke in a low, soothing voice. "Monkey, what's going on?" The director was smart enough not to assume he heard or understood what she said. He could just be reacting to her near hysteria - at least that's what she hoped. When he couldn't speak and continued crying, she drew him to her, rubbing his back in an attempt to calm him down. "Sam, use your words, sweet boy." She pressed a kiss to his temple before she pulled back to look at his face.

He managed to choke out, "Someone's trying to hurt Gibbs!"

Jenny tried to steady her reaction. That's all he needed was to be more traumatized, and it was her fault. Of course time was of the essence, and she really didn't want to waste it with self-recriminations. She sighed as she used her thumbs to wipe the tears from under his eyes. "I'm sorry you heard that. I didn't mean to worry you. Your dad is tough. Not only that, Tony, Ziva and Tim are working with tons of others to help him. He's going to be fine."

Sam scrunched up his face, trying to give her a fierce glare. "You promise?"

She was taken aback. She had been naïve to think he would accept her words so readily. He'd already witnessed too much in his young life to believe happy endings were automatic. Jenny swallowed heavily, not wanting this to bite her in the end should the worst happen. "I… I can't. But I can promise you I'm going to do everything in my power to bring him home to us. I'm going right now to get him. I want you to stay with Mildred."

"No!" he cried, stomping his foot for emphasis as he pointed at her. "I go with you!"

Jenny's eyes widened. A part of her was so proud of him for wanting to be close to Jethro. She'd been worried about the progress of their bonding but while this was an encouraging sign, she was too nervous. "Sam, you know I want you with me. But what if something happens? I need to concentrate on helping your dad." She realized too late she'd said the wrong thing.

He crumbled to the floor and started crying again.

She went to pick him up, wanting to cradle him in her arms but he started fighting her. "Hey, stop that! I know you're mad, but please don't hurt me." That seemed to do the trick as he went limp and she was able to gather him in her arms. She showered him with kisses as she held him. "I love you, sweet boy."

He rubbed his eyes and muttered against her chest, "I wanna go with you."

Exhausted already, Jenny sighed. She reached for her phone and pressed a number.

"David."

"Can you quickly have someone there check to see if a room near your headquarters is available for the night? Sam really wants to come, and it might just be easier to have Mildred stay with them there."

Ziva looked around, motioning for a young agent to come to her. "Are you certain that is wise? What if…" she just let her thought hang in the air.

"It probably isn't but could you just check and book it if it is and call me back?"

"Ken," she answered before hanging up.

Jenny wasn't sure why Ziva had reverted to Hebrew in that moment, but she appreciated her willingness all the same. It was but five minutes before she called back, having secured a nearby room.

Cynthia was dispatched to the house to get some things while Mildred agreed to accompany them to the motel. Jenny spent the ride over speaking cryptically to DiNozzo, not wanting to worry the other occupants of the Town car. They hung up, and her phone immediately rang. "Shepard."

"No need to bite my head off."

"Sorry, Ducky. What can I do for you?"

He sighed. "I've heard about Jethro and young Agent Truelove. You are not headed there, are you? We've had this discussion before. You know you'll only get in the way."

She bit back her initial impulse and took a deep breath. "I was strictly his former partner back then. Now I'm his _wife_," she spat back icily. "If you think for one second…"

The Scotsman realized he overstepped his bounds. "I am sorry, Jennifer. I didn't mean to offend."

"Ducky, the three of us go way back. You know better than most how we are with each other."

He nodded, even though she couldn't see it. "Indeed I do."

"I _have_ to be there. You know I do," she said, trying to keep the worry out of her voice. Sam was a very intuitive child. She knew he'd pick up on her distress, and she didn't want to worry him any more than she already had.

"Let me know if there is any way I am able to help," he relented.

"Thank you," she managed, ready for their call to be over.

Jenny quickly got Sam, Julia and Mildred ensconced in a nearby room before she walked determinedly towards command central. She headed inside and eyed Tony immediately. "Sitrep _now _Agent DiNozzo!" she bellowed as she slammed the door behind her, making the FBI guys jump. After the agent was at her side, she looked at him quizzically. "What's FBI doing here?"

Tony sighed, not anxious to share the news. "That's Agent Bruce Brown. Fornell's on another case. Turns out the guy with Gibbs and Truelove, Antonio Ruiz, is on their most wanted list."

Her eyes widened. "I thought this was a domestic squabble gone wrong?"

He shrugged carelessly. "Criminals have families too."

Jenny glared at him. "Do we have eyes and ears in the room yet?"

"We're a few minutes out. McGee and the tech guys are this close to snaking things through the ventilation system. We'll pipe it through once we do."

She nodded.

McGee came running into the hotel room command center out of breath. "We weren't able to get eyes, but audio should be available as soon as I press a few buttons like… this."

A voice came through over the sound system. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't slash your throats."

Jenny grimaced as she looked over at Ziva. Both women were having the same memory flash.

_Cairo, 2003_

_Abdul Assad, the man they thought had turned to their side, held a knife to Jenny's throat. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't slice my knife across your neck, you stupid American bitch?"_

Jethro's voice cut through the memory and brought Jenny back to the present.

"Kill us, and you'll never have a moment's peace."

Jenny cringed. Something was off with his voice. "He's injured," she yelled out to no one in particular. She swallowed heavily as she continued to listen.

The FBI guy looked at Tony, silently wondering what made her think that.

Ruiz laughed. "Oh really? Why's that?"

His voice was firm. "My wife will hunt you like a dog. And she's patient. Should ask the guy who killed her father. But you can't. He's dead."

Jenny smirked, despite herself. She could hear the pride in his voice. The next words from the man sent a chill up her spine.

"Guess I'll have to find and kill her first."

She knew he was glaring at the man.

"You can try. She's got 24-hour protection. I'm sure her guards would love to get a piece of you too."

Jenny glanced over at Melvin and swore she saw him puff out his chest proudly. She then looked over at Tony and Agent Brown. "What's the plan?!"

The FBI man narrowed his eyes at her. "And you are?"

Tony saw her temper begin to flare so he stepped in. "This is my boss, Director of NCIS Jenny Shepard."

"Your director is here?!"

"Agent Brown, get your head out of protocol and into their heads. I repeat - what's the plan?" she growled, obviously channeling her husband's demeanor.

"Yes, ma'am. We're working on it. Right now we need to listen and garner more intel from Agents Gibbs and Truelove. Hopefully they're smart enough to assume we'd get ears in there and will give us clues."

She glared at him. "Gibbs is a pro. He'll come through." Her cell phone started ringing, and she quickly answered. "What's wrong, Mildred?"

"Sam had a nightmare. He's asking for you."

Jenny closed her eyes, torn about what to do. She knew she had to go to their son, but her heart didn't want to miss a word her husband had to say. "I'll be right there." She turned to Tony. "Need to go next door to Sam. Call me…" she knew she didn't need to finish the sentence. He nodded.

Once inside their hotel room, Jenny felt tiny arms around her knees. "Mommy!" he yelled in relief.

She couldn't help but smile as she scooped him up in her arms. "Hey Monkey. What's this I hear about you having a nightmare?"

He looked at her seriously. "Scary gream. Mean men…" he broke off, obviously upset. "What's happening with Gibbs?"

She held him close. "No news yet, but we both know Daddy would want you to be big boy brave and go back to sleep, right? 

He bit his bottom lip and nodded. "I'm scare to sleep."

Jenny shared a look with Mildred before she turned her attention back to Sam. "I love you, Sam," she said, kissing his forehead. "You're the man of the house right now. I'm going to need you in top notch shape so when your dad comes back to us, you'll be well rested and able to hug him. Can you do that for me?"

He started to cry. "What if he goes to heaven… like Mommy?"

Jenny's heart hurt. She carried him back to his bed. "That's not going to happen." She gently sat down, lifting his covers so he'd scoot inside.

"But what if…"

"Sam! We can't think that way. Your dad is the toughest guy there is. You can bet he's thinking about how he's going to get back to you. We have to send him all our love. Only good thoughts. Understand?"

He nodded, determined to make her proud. He threw his arms around her neck. "I love you."

She held him close. "I love you so much, sweet boy. Be good for Mildred, okay? And set a good example for your sister."

He nodded before he kissed her cheek. "Please bring him back safe."

She hugged him again to her tightly, not sure she wanted to let him go. "I will do my best." She pressed several kisses to the top of his head before she tucked him in. She quickly walked over to Julia, who was sleeping, and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Mildred could see the strain on her face as she walked her to the door. "I'm praying for Agent Gibbs."

Jenny nodded. "Thank you. Let me know if he needs me again." After the nanny nodded, she slipped out the door.

When the director walked back in to mission control, she could tell immediately that something had changed. The tension in the room had magnified considerably. "What's happened?"

Tony turned his attention to Ziva. She spoke up first. "Ruiz isn't alone. That is how he was able to subdue them. He has an accomplice. Also," she hesitated, "it sounded like Agent Truelove was knifed... but not fatally." The two women locked eyes.

"_Damn it. Shepard's been stabbed. I have to go in. I cannot wait a moment longer," Ziva yelled into her com, pleading with her father._

_He nodded, though she couldn't see it. "L'khi."_

_She immediately acted on the "go" command._

"Ziva!"

The Israeli was jolted back to the present. She eyed her boss.

Jenny walked closer and spoke quietly. "This remind you of anything?" When the other woman nodded, she continued. "Work with DiNozzo. That plan you used to bring me back alive? Bring my husband back alive this time. _Please._"

Ziva nodded curtly as she watched the older woman walk back to the far wall and lean against it stoically, allowing the people gathered to do their job. Her face was a mask, no emotion as she listened to the men taunt Gibbs and Agent Truelove.

Ziva made her way through the sea of agents and took Tony, McGee and Agent Brown aside to explain what Jenny had requested. McGee had managed to get the building's blueprints, and they began to customize the plan from there.

Jenny folded her arms beneath her chest, not even realizing she was holding her breath. She knew it had to be killing her husband to resist the bait, but he understood how the game was played better than most. She listened as he drew information out of Ruiz and used it to needle him. She trusted Jethro to get the job done – she just didn't want to take any chances. He could yell at her later for sending in the team. At least he'd be in one piece.

She shook off the scary thoughts running through her head. She couldn't imagine losing Jethro after all they'd been through.

Jenny recounted in her mind the countless times they'd come close to death. She drifted back to the time in Paris when he'd rescued her after she was kidnapped and tortured, when he took a bullet for her after Leon had practically gotten them ambushed, the gone-oh-so-wrong op in Russia when she was shot in the leg and almost died. There was also the op where he was in a coma after being blown up on a ship. Then James Dempsey kidnapped her and killed Stanley. One of the worst was the shootout in Los Angeles… and more recently the horrible shooting that left Jethro paralyzed and almost tore them apart. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, promising herself the bad times were behind them.

His voice on the sound system brought her out of her head.

"Never say you're sorry, it's a sign of weakness. That's Rule #6."

Truelove released a strained laugh. "Still, you wouldn't be here if I hadn't charged in half-cocked."

"You're a probie. Probies make mistakes. Take a breath… _anticipate_," he spat out, revealing his annoyance.

Jenny couldn't help but smile. Tied up and fighting for their lives, Jethro was still trying to teach. She was impressed by Julie's fortitude to remain calm – she'd have bitten his head off by now and called him a jackass. His next words caught her attention.

"There's no way this'll end well for you, Antonio."

"Shut up!"

It was escalating. Jenny's face remained unchanged but her breath caught in her throat. _Damn him for riling the man up._ _Typical Jethro_. She was relieved that his voice sounded more even. Whatever injury had happened, it wasn't affecting him as much now. He had control.

"Let everyone go. Only chance ya got of seeing your kid again."

"You think you know everything? You don't know shit, man! My kid is with me now, and he's gonna stay with me!"

Gibbs grunted something they couldn't make out. "Your kid's scared of you. Can't you see that?! Pick on someone your own size, you coward."

Jenny's eyes widened."He's goading him for a reason." She looked at the team, who were about to head out. "Get over there, _now_!"

Agent Brown piped up, "Hey, what's that kid doing in here?!"

Jenny and Tony spotted him by the door at the same time and yelled Sam's name just as shots rang out over the sound system.

Jenny paled as Sam ran crying into her arms. Their motel room, directly across the street from the action, erupted into complete chaos. Agents ran back and forth, EMTs who were on standby went rushing out and in the midst of it Sam was fighting to get down.

The loud noises were hurting his ears. He could tell Jenny was upset, but he didn't understand any of it.

The director was trying to hold it together as she barked orders past the boy's ears. "Someone tell me what happened! Is there any news?" She had her back to the door and was shocked when Sam yelled.

"Daddy! Let me down!" He squirmed out of her arms to her horror and ran.

"Sam!" She quickly turned around, completely freaked out that he was now out of her reach along with everything else going on - until she realized he wasn't calling out because he was upset. He _saw_ his father. Relief flooded over her as she watched Jethro scoop the boy up into his arms. She noticed a bruise taking form near his jaw.

"Kiddo, what are you doing here? It's way past your bedtime," he chuckled, happy to be given a bear hug by his son. His eyes scanned the room until they locked on Jenny.

"I was so scared you would die too, Daddy."

Gibbs pulled back so he could look in Sam's eyes, his own moist from his words. "I'm not going anywhere."

Tony looked at Jenny. "When'd he start saying his 'D's?"

She couldn't stop smiling. "Just now, I think."

Tony nodded. "I'm going to miss his little lisp." He thought he heard her whisper, "me too," but she was gone in a flash, heading for her two guys.

He watched as Gibbs opened up his arms to include her in a family hug. They both closed their eyes as their foreheads touched, and she kissed his cheek. Brown walked over to Tony, noting the intimacy of the moment.

"Uh, your director give all agents in jeopardy a welcome back like that?"

"Only the ones she's married to."

Brown's eyes widened. "No shit?" he snorted. "So how'd it turn out in there?"

"Hostages are fine. Truelove has a gash in her leg, but she'll be okay. Boss took 'em both out before anyone else even got in there."

Brown smiled. "Good. Saves me the trouble of booking him. Your boss is pretty badass."

Tony smirked before he headed out past them to help Tim and Ziva process the scene.

Gibbs squeezed Jenny's waist tighter to him and buried his nose in her hair, breathing her in. He turned his attention back to Sam in his other arm. The boy had his legs wrapped tightly around his waist. Gibbs smiled as he kissed his forehead.

Sam patted his cheek. "I love you, Daddy."

Gibbs felt a rush of pride, grateful to hear those words from him for the first time. "I love you too."

Sam smiled and relaxed against his shoulder. "No more scary for you. You stay home with me."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow at Jenny. After a moment of looking in his eyes, she nodded lightly. They each laid a hand on his little back and kissed him. "No more scary," he soothed.


	56. Chapter 56

A/N: This is the final chapter of the trilogy but not the end of the LIFE universe. There will be 1-shots that take place either in the past or the future. But this takes the pressure off of me to hit deadlines I can't seem to make. Plus, this story really has come to end now that Sam has been integrated into their family. A quick warning (or joy, depending on your feelings on the matter) – this chapter pushes the rating a bit. Thank you for joining me on this ride. I've appreciated you all more than you know. A special thank you goes to OrtonsMistress for pitching in when my other betas had to bail. Life happens. Happy holidays! Hope everyone has a wonderful and healthy New Year.

***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***

Gibbs was still holding his wife and son close as Jenny hung up her cell phone.

"Mildred was very apologetic. It seems she fell asleep and _someone_ snuck past her and managed to open the door," she said pointedly. "Don't look so pleased, young man. That was a big giant no-no." She glared and shook her head at both of her guys when they looked rather proudly at each other. "Come on, monkey," she said as she took him in her arms. "Daddy and I have some things to do before we can leave, so you need to go back and _stay_ with Mildred."

"Nooooo," he insisted. "I want to stay with Daddy."

Gibbs leaned over and kissed his forehead. "This is grownup stuff. We won't be long. Be good."

He sighed heavily. "Okay."

By the time Jenny returned, Gibbs was sitting at a nearby table, giving his statement to McGee. Tony was packing some stuff away and noticed as Jenny stood behind her husband to make a call. She leaned against the counter and slowly brought her hand to the nape of his neck, threading her fingers into his hair. He then saw Gibbs wrap his hand possessively around her thigh and rest his cheek against her… cheek. The very special agent couldn't help but smile.

Ziva walked up behind him and noticed where he was looking. She turned to her partner. "A happy ending, thankfully."

"Nice when that happens," he agreed.

About ten minutes later, the door swung open. "Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!"

The man in question stood up and turned towards the door just in time to catch Abby as she flew into his arms. "Hey Abs," he managed as she knocked the wind out of him.

She wrapped herself around him, squeezing tight. "I had to see for myself that you were okay."

McGee stood up and tapped her on the shoulder, indicating she should let go. "We're almost done. You can smother him to death in a few minutes."

She pouted. "Spoilsport." He grinned.

"Abby." Jenny motioned with her head for the lab tech to come stand by her.

"Director, I didn't know you were here. Well of course you're here. Where else would you be at a time like this? I can't believe someone dared to lay a finger on the Silver Fox. How dare they when –"

"Abby," Jenny repeated, smirking a bit. "Breathe."

"Why do people always say that to me? I can speak fast and breathe. Can't all of you?"

Jenny, Ziva and Tony all shared a knowing look.

When Gibbs finished giving his statement, Abby clapped. "Let's all go out and celebrate!"

The director shook her head, not in the mood to share her husband with anyone else after all that had happened. "We need to get the kids home," she insisted. She smiled when she felt her husband's arms snake around her waist from behind. Jenny closed her eyes and smiled as he nuzzled his face in her hair.

"Oh. Well then how about we go out and get food and bring the party to you?"

Tony, noticing the way his bosses were touching each other, placed a hand on the Goth's shoulder. "I think their party has already started. Come on, I'll take you out for a bite."

Gibbs looked up and caught Tony's eye. "Maybe bring something to Truelove in the hospital, make sure she's okay?"

"On it, Boss." He and the others watched as Gibbs and Jenny walked out the door holding hands. Tony looked at those gathered around him. Everyone had a goofy grin on their face that he was sure matched his own.

Gibbs carried a very tired Sam to his room while Jenny followed behind with Julia in her arms. She stood by the doorway and watched as her husband tucked their son in and sat down next to him. "Sleep well."

The boy looked up. "I don't want to sleep. Scary dreams."

Gibbs glanced over at Jenny, both sharing the same pained look. He rubbed his tummy soothingly. "Remember – no more scary. Gummy and I are here, and we're all safe."

Sam said seriously, "It's mommy now."

"Oh?" he smiled. "Well then Mommy and I will make sure we're all safe. You can sleep and no more worrying."

The boy yawned and nodded as he burrowed his face into his pillow, already half asleep. Gibbs leaned down and kissed his head. "I love you."

The baby had woken up and was hungry, so they headed straight for the nursery. Gibbs sat down on the stool next to Jenny, placed his chin on the arm of the rocking chair and his hand on her inner thigh.

"Careful," she warned good-naturedly.

He adjusted his hand more towards her knee. "How's she doing?"

Jenny noticed he couldn't take his eyes off Julia, and it relaxed her a bit as she returned her gaze to the baby. "She's perfect."

The tiniest crack in her voice was the only indication he had that she was trying to hold back intense emotions. He didn't dare pry, not while she was breastfeeding. Then again, it's not like he couldn't guess what was happening inside her. He was pretty overwhelmed himself after all that happened.

He remained silent, listening to the music that was playing – songs that were special to them and put together by Missy. Every time he was in this room, hearing that particular CD play as he watched his wife breastfeed their miracle daughter, it reminded him of how much his life had changed and how lucky he was.

Jenny wasn't sure she could look at Jethro; her emotions were too close to the surface and she didn't want to burst into tears. Her breathing became labored as she fought to maintain control. She tried to concentrate on Julia, her little lips moving as she continued to feed while her fingers repeatedly curled and relaxed against her breast. She stroked her cheeks, relishing the baby's soft skin. It was obvious that Julia had fallen asleep, but Jenny wasn't ready to let her go. She didn't want to cry, but she knew her emotions were overpowering her and it would happen. She finally passed her to Jethro without looking at him. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths as he placed her in the crib. She wanted to regain control but as soon as she felt his hand in her hair, she lost it.

She allowed him to quietly pull her onto his lap and hold her while she cried. She bunched up his shirt in her fists, pulling him closer to her.

"Aw, Jen," he soothed as he rubbed her back and kissed her head. No other words were needed. He knew her thoughts as well as he knew his own. Both were freaked out about what could have happened, what could have been lost. But he wasn't prepared for her to let loose and hit him squarely on the chest. "What was that for?"

"Taking a risk like that! What were you thinking, Jethro?!"

"You know what I was thinking. I had a team member inside who needed help. I didn't do anything you wouldn't have done in the same situation."

She pulled back from him, sighed and closed her eyes. Of course he was right. But it didn't make her feel any better. "I kept thinking there was no way we went through all of _this_ - only for me to become a single mother."

He swooped her up into his arms against her protests. "Stop fidgeting."

"Then put me down!"

"No. Hold still and get the light. We're not having this discussion while Jules is trying to sleep in here."

She realized the wisdom of his words. "I am perfectly capable of walking out of this room," she hissed as she turned out the light. She resigned herself to his not putting her down and simply wrapped her arms around his neck. "Where are you taking me, you caveman?"

"Most women would consider this a romantic gesture. Basement."

She scoffed. "The basement is _not_ romantic."

"Shut up," he teased. "If you're nice, I may let you walk down the stairs yourself."

"Only cause your back couldn't do it."

He was insulted. "Is that a challenge?"

She smiled and shook her head. "No. It's your lover trying to show she cares about the health of your back so put me down."

They walked downstairs and immediately headed for the bourbon on the workbench. He emptied out two mason jars and poured a healthy amount into each of them, handing her one.

Both savored the burn of the amber liquid as it went down their throats. It didn't take either long to empty it, placing it down on the bench at the same time.

They eyed each other. Even though he knew he didn't need to say it, he did anyway. "I need you, Jen."

She barely managed to get out, "I need you too," before his lips came crashing down on hers. His hands were immediately in her hair as his tongue easily coaxed her mouth open to deepen their kiss. A moan escaped her lips, having wanted to do this from the moment she saw he was safe.

He couldn't stop touching her, needing to feel every inch to assure himself she was really standing there against his body. Doing this was all he could think about when he was captured – or rather the thought that he might never get to do it again.

Jenny led him towards the back of the basement but he stopped her, instead pushing her against the rib of his boat. He held her shoulders down as he let his eyes rake over her, his hands quickly following suit. He slowly moved his fingers from her neck, down her shoulders and then over her crisp oxford, cupping her breasts. She moaned as she watched him unbutton and remove the shirt, which she helped get rid of by shrugging it off her shoulders.

He was happy to help her get rid of his jacket and shirts, grateful to have skin against skin as he leaned down against her so his lips could attack her throat. She leaned her head to the side to give him more access, moaning again when he found that special spot that made her weak in the knees. She gripped his strong shoulders to help keep her balance even though his arms had made their way around her waist, holding her tightly against him.

He ran his lower lip over her jaw line before he suckled her earlobe.

She smiled. "Who's channeling Mikey now?"

"Can't be helped. You taste too good," he growled as his hands returned to touching her back, finding their way to her bra's clasp and undoing it. He stood back and stared as he gently moved the straps over her shoulder and down her arms. Gibbs drank her in, his eyes finally locking on hers. "I was scared I didn't tell you often enough how beautiful you are, how you take my breath away."

Jenny melted hearing his words. She swallowed heavily, reaching for his belt buckle. "I need to have you inside of me right now."

"Never could pace –"

"Shut up, Jethro," she laughed as she unbuttoned his pants and dragged them to the ground along with his boxers. Jenny knelt down, running her hands reverently along his muscular legs and kissing his thigh. She looked up and saw him suck in his breath when he realized what she was about to do.

He threaded his fingers in her hair as he moaned his pleasure. "Not that I want you to stop, but I thought you wanted to make love."

She stopped for a second and looked up. "Decided to try pacing myself."

"Ha," he managed, trying to maintain his balance... and his blood pressure. "God, Jen," he mumbled almost incoherently as he leaned against the boat for support.

She stopped and looked up at him, an evil glint in her eye as she stood up. She quickly divested herself of her pants as the look of disappointment on his face quickly faded. He decided to help her by slowly removing her panties. He then knelt down and lifted her leg over his shoulder.

"God, Jethro," she uttered as she leaned back against the boat.

"I haven't even done anything yet, Jen. You're so easy."

She laughed but quickly sucked in her breath as he made contact. She ran her fingers through his hair, trying not to yank too hard as he worked to expertly send her over the edge like only he ever could. She tried to remain quiet as she climaxed, but she couldn't help releasing his name in a breathy moan. He smiled and kissed her inner thigh before he quickly stood up, wrapped her leg around him and thrust into her, not giving her but mere moments to come down off her high.

"Damn, you feel good, Jen."

She wrapped her other leg and both arms around him as he thrust inside her again. "Holy shit, Jethro," she cried out against his shoulder.

He wasn't done with her, wanting to make sure they both felt as alive as possible. She couldn't remember all the positions they did that night but she knew it was incredible. She breathed a sigh of relief that Sam hadn't woken up as they made love with complete abandon. It felt like the old days in Europe, when they couldn't get enough of each other.

After, they put on as little clothes as needed to cover up the essentials and snuck back upstairs into their bed – after first making sure both kids were still asleep.

Jenny switched into a long T-shirt of her husband's, while he only wore his boxers. She snuggled up to him, resting her head and hand on his chest. "You told Sam 'no more scary.' Care to clarify?"

"You know what I meant. I'm done with fieldwork. I can't keep putting either of you through days like this."

Jenny sighed. "Are you sure you can handle a desk job?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "We talked about this back on our honeymoon. I'm ready."

"I know. I just…"

Gibbs could see the fear in her eyes. "I don't get it, Jen. I thought you wanted this too? Me behind a desk, training the probies and there to advise any team that needs a hand."

"You want Tony in charge of the team then?"

He nodded. "And I want Truelove to be added permanently. I don't want today to be a blot on her record. She has good instincts. All probies make mistakes."

Jenny managed a small smile. "I sure as hell did, but I had a great partner looking out for me." She rubbed his chest before she met his questioning eyes. "All right. Sounds good." She stroked his cheek gently with her fingertips. "And I do want this for you… for us. I think I'm nervous you will hate it and grow to resent me… the kids… for making you turn your life upside down."

He pressed a kiss to her temple. "Aw, Jen, my life has been upside down since I ran into you on that plane," he chuckled softly. "Or rather right side up. I never thought I'd feel this happy again. Or deserved to..."

Jenny placed her finger over his lips. "Shhhhh. There is no such thing as 'deserve' – there is no Judgment Day, Jethro. We determine our destiny. You and I… we worked hard for this - survived so much."

Looking into her emerald eyes, she could make him believe anything. He nodded as he wrapped his whole body around hers. "How could I have regrets? You… the kids… gave me a new life after I thought mine was all but over."

"Me too. OK, then that's the plan." Jenny held him tightly to her, never wanting to let go. She looked up and locked eyes with him. "_Everything_ Jethro."


End file.
